


Breath of Hope

by Ray_Ken, StoryLady35



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dragon Callum, Dragon Prince Callum AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-04-21 17:16:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 124,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22098628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ray_Ken/pseuds/Ray_Ken, https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoryLady35/pseuds/StoryLady35
Summary: Ten years ago, humans killed the Dragon King and his heir. Now, the elves seek vengeance. Rayla finds a boy, chained to a wall, weak, and tortured, but alive: The Dragon Prince. Together, with Katolis’s Prince Ezran, Rayla helps the dragon get back home to Xadia.  Seeing the dragon free, outside for the first time in years, she finally sees hope. Rayllum content included.
Relationships: Callum & Ezran & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum & Ezran (The Dragon Prince), Callum & Soren (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 336
Kudos: 485





	1. Introduction

Long ago, Xadia was one land, rich in magic and wonder. In the old times, there were only the six Primal Sources of magic: The Sun, The Moon, The Stars, The Earth, The Sky, and The Ocean.

But a thousand years ago, a human mage discovered a new type of magic - the seventh source. Dark Magic. It used the essence within magical creatures themselves to unleash dark power.

Horrified by what they saw, the elves and the dragons put a stop to the madness. They drove every last human to the west. And so, the continent was divided in two.

In the east, the magical lands of Xadia. And in the west, the human kingdoms. For centuries, the King of the Dragons himself defended the border. The humans called him Thunder, for when he spoke, no matter his form, his voice shook both the earth and sky.

Despite his appearance, Thunder could change shape, as all dragons could. His power allowed him to take on the form of a human, an elf, a powerful sky beast, or even something in between.

But ten years ago, the humans used unspeakable dark magic to slay Thunder. Then, without mercy, they killed his only child, his heir, the Dragon Prince.

Now the world stands on the edge of all-out war.

* * *

**Authors Note;**

**This Alternative Universe fan fiction, “Breath of Hope” was a collaborative writing project between Ray-Ken and Storylady35. Their roles in the creation of this fic are as follows:**

**Storylady35: She was the planner for the outline of the story and the writer. Her notes will start ‘SL:’**

**Ray-Ken: She was the editor/reviser, cover illustrator, and came up with the AU. Her notes will start ‘RK:’**

**You can find her work at: [www.deviantart.com/ray-ken](https://www.deviantart.com/ray-ken)  
**

**Both of them played important parts in the creation of this work.**

**~#~Since Story was the writer and Ray was the editor, there may be some differences in spelling and grammar due to their regional differences. So, spelling will be according to the UK, and grammar will be according to the US. _(SL: seriously, how can two countries that both speak English be so different?)_ **

**~#~Both of us will be publishing this Fan Fiction to other sites to spread it to anyone who wishes to read it. Do not be alarmed if you see it under another user name or on a different site, because both of us will be sharing it. And any reviews, comments or other contacts will be seen by both parties.**

**~#~This Fan Fiction does contain some sensitive subjects such as abuse and trauma. We just figured a warning was necessary in case anyone was not aware. _(SL: But don’t worry, there is also a lot of fluff and good warmness to it too.)_**

**Both of us sincerely hope you enjoy our story, and we would love to hear your thoughts! Thank you and enjoy. ** **:)**


	2. Chapter 1 – The Boy Below

#  Chapter 1 – The Boy Below

The chains hurt, but after so many years, they didn’t hurt as much. His scales under the shackles had been rubbed off years ago, leaving a soft, tender and raw patch of skin below. He clung to the wall, his arms held above him with enough freedom to touch his face, but not reach anything else.

His hair, short, and a chestnut brown, parted over two silvery-blue horns, a mark of his true nature while his wings hung limply behind his back from their lack of use.

As he stood, bound hand and foot, his gaze moved slowly towards a thin crack in the wall. It was too far away to see out, but enough that he could get a shard of light accompanied by a slight breeze.

He couldn’t remember what the outside looked like. He couldn’t remember the colour of the sky or the feeling of the ground below his feet. This was all he could remember for years. This dark, dry, empty room, and the chains. How long had it been? Most of his life certainly, but how long was_ that_? How old was he? He didn’t know. He didn’t have the hope, will-power, or drive to care.

The sound came back. It made him look up, but he felt weak from the lack of food and nourishment. It was _him_. As if it would be anyone else in this place. However long he had been here, that person had been here too.

The man who entered the room walked with his back straight and a staff in hand. His clothes were dark grey, but immaculately kept, and his eyes held an arrogance that only someone of power had.

Lord Viren looked at his captive, tapping his staff on the side before placing it on the table. He stepped over and grabbed the boy’s face, lifting a small cup to his lips and letting the water flow into his mouth. Knowing this would be his only water for the next several days, the boy tried not to waste a single drop. Unfortunately, he still felt some dribble down his chin and drip onto the floor. He almost sobbed at the loss, but once the cup was empty, his captor moved to the side and picked up a needle. He pushed it between two scales on his arm and into his body, taking yet another vial of blood.

The prisoner hissed, and his tail slapped against the floor at the pain, but he said nothing. Talking now would mean punishment, and he couldn’t take another week without food.

Viren took three vials of blood in total then the mage clipped his already short talons to the point where they bled, ensuring he kept the cuttings in a small pouch. Finally, he plucked a few hairs from his head and stored them in his silk handkerchief.

Collections made, he picked up his staff once more and turned to his prisoner with a small smirk, “How are you today Callum?”

‘Callum’ kept his head lowered, “W-well…master,” he lied. He felt like he was on the brink of death, but somehow, he still held on.

“I am glad to hear it. Any changes since I was last here?”

Somehow, a few weeks ago, Callum had accidentally started a fire in his cell. He had no idea how he did it, but his wings still throbbed from the beating he had taken as punishment.

“No master…No changes.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Now, what would you like today?”

This was always the hardest part of these visits. Viren would allow him one thing: food, new clothes, or a few moments free from his chains. And Callum had to choose. It was all part of the torture. A part of how he proved he was in control.

Today, the choice was easier, “Food, please master.”

“Very well,” the mage said before he turned back towards the entrance of the cell. He returned with a bit of bread, dropped it at the chained boy’s feet, and walked out of the room.

Once he was gone, Callum slowly moved as best as the chains would allow, and picked up the food. He noticed it was stale and hard, but he didn’t care. He stood, and slowly nibbled at the edge before placing it carefully in a small hole he had made in the wall over the years. It would keep the bread safe from any rats that may wish to eat it while he slept.

As he did, he looked towards the crack in the wall and sighed. Closing his eyes, Callum tried to remember what the sky looked like, when he heard a sudden crack of thunder.

~#~

Outside the palace walls, a single guard patrolled the forest path. A cloak was draped over his head from the downpour of rain, and a sound had startled him. He turned, crossbow at the ready, “Who’s there?” he called out, facing the bushes.

Nothing moved in the trees, the rain and leaves disturbing all shapes cast by the moon light, “Declare yourself, in the name of King Harrow!” the guard shouted to the shadows, eyes narrowing to see past the rain.

Suddenly, a crack of lightning lit up the sky, and he could make out the shape of several human-like beings staring at him. Each had horns and silvery hair. With a gasp, he fired his crossbow, but missed and hit a tree. He stumbled back in fear and ran away. One of them followed, far quicker and quieter than the guard with his heavy breathing and metal armour.

The one following took to the trees, jumping up and running over the branches as if they were solid ground. Stumbling again, the guard hastily got back up. Unfortunately, the fall gave his pursuer a chance to catch up.

Stopping with his back to a tree, the guard turned, renewed crossbow in hand. He scanned the trees, his breathing laboured from the run accompanied by his fear. Suddenly, a kick from above threw him off an overhang and down into the muddy water below, his helmet thrown off in the fall.

He looked back just as a figure jumped down with ease, two blades now in their hand. Not willing to go down without a fight, the guard pulled his crossbow out once more and took aim, but the attacker just knocked it back with their own weapon. His dagger met the same fate. Two blades were now at his throat, crossed and ready for the kill.

In a moment of pure fear, he looked at his hooded attacker. “Please!”

Somehow, that made the attacker pause. They moved the blades closer to his throat. One small movement, and the deed would be done.

“Who are you?” the guard asked, a strange question at the moment, but it appeared to work. The attacker looked up, revealing curved, indigo marks on their cheeks and violet eyes. This only confirmed they weren’t human.

Another crash of lightning above, and those eyes widened with realization. The guard took that moment to slowly crawl away from the blades. He stood, and stared at this person, worried they would attack again. His body tensed for a fight.

The pursuer was just as tense, but then turned away, eyes leaving the guard’s.

The guard fled quickly in the opposite direction, running as fast as he could towards the city of Katolis.

That morning, Lord Viren stood before a large, ornate, golden mirror. He inspected his appearance, ensuring it fit his status as high mage before reaching out and touching the strange symbols around the edge, wondering what their meaning could be.

As he contemplated, someone banged loudly on the door behind him.

“High Mage! Please, it's urgent!” someone shouted from the other side.

The mage covered the mirror with a black shroud, then turned to open the door. The one knocking was none other than the guard from the forest, his eyes still wide with shock, “Lord Viren! I've seen something.”

The words only brought a frown to the mage’s face.

~#~

Across the castle, the lord marched towards a room where two guards stood. One of them held out a hand to halt his movement, “Lord Viren, uh, King Harrow hasn't risen yet.”

This did not stop the mage. He walked up to the doors and pushed them open himself, making his way into the dark room. Viren drew back the curtains and let the already risen sunlight greet the sleeping royal.

Behind him, a black and green bird stretched its wings and began to sing to the morning. The man in the bed groaned, and slowly sat up, hand raised against the light.

He looked at the man by his window, half-dazed, “Viren, didn't I tell you if you ever woke me up this early again…I'd have you executed?”

Viren cleared his throat, having forgotten the _probably _idle threat. A small smile played on his lips, “I'll… uh, give you a moment,” he replied before making his way out.

A few minutes later, once dressed and ready for the world, the king stepped out onto his balcony with the bird on his arm. He lovingly scratched its head as they walked, “So, what's so important that you come into my bedroom risking your life like this?”

The other man took a deep breath, “Assassins.”

The king looked thoughtful as he put his bird on a perch, still scratching its front feathers, “I see…”

“A scout on patrol discovered them just before dawn.”

“Well, don't look so grim. We've fought off plenty of assassins,” the king said confidently, “Haven't we, Pip?” he smiled at the bird.

“It's different this time,” Viren continued, looking out over the balcony, “We believe they're Moonshadow elves.”

“Moonshadow elves?” Harrow repeated, looking downcast, then suddenly confused, “Then how did the scout escape?”

“I don't know,” the words stung the mage’s lips, “It was muddy, wet, dark… somehow he got very lucky.”

Thinking, the king produced a cracker for his pet, “The Crownguard won't be enough to hold them off,” he said quietly to himself, “Send for General Amaya and the Standing Battalion.”

“The Breach is too far. They'll never make it back in time.”

“What's tonight's moon?”

“Full.”

The king chuckled a bit, “Of course it is…”

“With the Moonshadow elves at the height of their power, no defence will stand against them.”

“Then we won't defend,” the king decided, “We will attack. We must find them today, in the light of the sun, and stop them before it's too late.”

The two men looked at each other, determined to combat this looming threat.

~#~

Far away in the forest, the Moonshadow elf from the previous night ran until she came to a clearing. She landed, and pulled her hood down before looking at her two polished blades. Her mind spun with the possible problems and consequences.

Looking up, she noticed a bush with bright red berries, and an idea had sprung to mind.

A little further away, the other elves were setting up their camp, preparing tents, and waiting for the time to strike. Their leader, Runaan, sat on a rock meditating, when he heard someone approach. He looked up to see the youngest of the group, returning with two blades covered in red. As she passed, he nodded. “Well done, Rayla.”

The girl stopped and tensed, turning back to him. She forced herself to calm her nerves, “Yeah,” she replied, holding her blades to the side, “I used both of them.”

Runaan looked over at the two weapons, “I can see that,” he tossed her a small cloth from his pocket.

Catching it, Rayla cleaned the berry juice off her blades, and stiffly walked past the others.

~#~

Back in the city, a young boy with fluffy, dark brown hair crawled down a small tunnel. A yellow and green creature was at his side, and they eventually arrived at a grate that led to the bakery where the baker was in the middle of taking goods out of the oven. The creature beside him gave a small croak and the boy turned to him, “Bait, shhh,” he whispered, then grinned as he slid the grate to the side. He crawled into the room, watching the baker turn away from his freshly-baked goods.

The little boy looked at the triangular shaped goodies and reached out for one.

“Prince Ezran!” the baker shouted, then chuckled menacingly, “I caught you!”

Ezran quickly withdrew his hand and smiled sweetly, “I was just admiring them.”

“Oh?” the baker countered, “With your hands?”

“Yeah. They look amazing.”

“Well, they _are_ amazing, and they're not for you! Or your little monster…Bait.”

At that moment, one of the tarts vanished from the table, snatched up by a long sticky tongue. Bait sat on a counter behind the confused, stammering baker, “Did you just-?”

Ezran smiled, standing behind the baker, “You can tell by his eyes he's innocent.”

Turning back to the prince, the baker caught the boy with a tart in his hand, about to put it in his mouth. “Are you kidding me? I'm standing right here.”

Three more tarts were snatched by the tongue, “Hey!”

Bait croaked at him, a mouth full of the pastries. When the baker tried to grab him, he jumped away and ran off with remarkable speed for something of his stature.

Meanwhile, in the now unmanned shop, Ezran helped himself to a whole tray of tarts before retreating back into the tunnel and closing it behind him.

A short while later, when Bait had escaped the baker and reunited with him, he returned to the entrance of his secret, treat tunnel, and the prince was met by one of the guards. “Prince Ezran, the king needs to speak with you urgently.”

Worried, the boy quickly stuffed his stolen tarts into his pockets then followed the guard to the main throne room where his father stood.

The prince walked in with Bait in his arms, and looked at the man who resembled his likeness. A smile came to the man’s lips, and his arms widened when he spotted his son. “Ez! My boy! You're going on a trip,” he explained as he stepped over, “To the Banther Lodge!”

Ez frowned slightly, “But it's spring. That's the winter lodge.”

The king knelt and shrugged slightly, “Winter is coming…eventually.”

“But… what will I do?” the boy asked, confused, “Everything fun there has to do with snow or ice.”

His father smiled, “Maybe you can invent new versions using dirt and rocks. You could build a dirt man! Or what about mud-sledding? That could be a thing!”

Bait croaked, not convinced, and neither was the prince.

The king’s smiling face became a little more serious as he held the boy’s shoulders, “Look, Ez, this is something I need you to do.”

“Dad?”

“It's decided. You'll leave before sundown, so go get packed up.”

The boy looked down at Bait and then nodded, “Yes, sir…” He turned and walked away, leaving the room and letting Bait walk beside him, sighing. “Why's he sending us away?” he asked the toad, “Something's got to be wrong.”

~#~

Away from the throne room, Viren closed his doors behind two young teens who had entered before him. One was dressed as a Crownguard, and the other was a young woman with black hair, and a dark dress.

“What's going on, Father?” the guard asked, confused as to why he had been summoned.

“We have visitors from Xadia,” Viren answered firmly, “Unwanted visitors.”

“What are they, minstrels or something?” his son, Soren, asked without a hint of amusement.

Claudia, his sister, whispered behind her hand. “Assassins.”

“I know! What do you think, I'm an idiot?”

The woman said nothing, grumbling sceptically.

Their father ignored the bickering and addressed them. “They've set up a secret camp somewhere near the base of the cliffs. Soren, you will lead an attack.”

“Right. Their _secret_ camp. How am I supposed to find it if it's secret?”

Viren moved over to retrieve a box, “These assassins are Moonshadow elves. They draw power from the moon. Inside this box is an Archangel Lunaris, a giant moon moth. It will be drawn to their energy. Follow it, and you will find them.”

“And what happens if I can't find them?”

Viren stood up a bit straighter, “Then we may be on the brink of changing times.”

“You're saying they'll kill the king?” he gasped.

“Yes son, sadly, it may lead to that. So, it is vital that you stop them before they have time to strike.”

With the weight of the task before him on his shoulders, Soren nodded, “You can count on me father.”

~#~

In the forest, the six Moonshadow elves stood together, looking to their leader as he spoke.

“Ten years past, on the eve of the winter's turn, the humans crossed into Xadia and murdered the King of the Dragons. Then, they killed his only child and heir, the Dragon Prince. Tonight, we bind our lives to justice!” he declared, wrapping a silver ribbon around his forearm, and showing his dedication to the cause.

One by one, the assassins pledged to the attack.

“My breath for freedom!”

“My eyes for truth!”

“My strength for honour!”

“My blood for justice!”

Finally, it was Rayla’s turn, and although she hesitated for a moment, she nodded and held out her arms, “My heart for Xadia!”

One by one, Runaan wrapped the ribbon around their wrists, “Life is precious. Life is valuable. We take it, but we do not take it lightly.”

Rayla watched his movements carefully before holding herself with determination, “Moon reflects sun, as death reflects life!”

Nodding with pride, Runaan stepped back and drew his blade. He quickly cut the bonds around each ribbon so it hung at their wrists and arms. The group looked at their bindings, each one glowing pale blue for a brief moment, and tightening snuggly around their skin.

“When it is done, I will send a Shadow Hawk with a blood ribbon message to the Queen of the Dragons.” He put a red and black arrow back in his quiver, “We strike when the moon is highest!”

The group nodded, and left to go prepare for the attack. Rayla, however, held back, “Uh, Runaan?”

“What is it, Rayla?”

“I was wondering… what if they know we're coming?”

“We have the advantage of surprise,” he said confidently, “If we act fast, we will accomplish our goals without sacrifice,” he told her, heading into the woods once more.

~#~

Across the wood, Soren and a handful of his men rode through the forest until they reached the suspected area. He pulled to a stop, and the leader held up the box his father had given him. “Let's see if this magic moon moth can find more than a closet full of moon sweaters,” he chuckled at his own joke, and looked at the man to his right, “You know, 'cause moths eat clothes?”

The guard didn’t laugh, but nodded politely, “Yes sir.”

Opening the box, a pale green moth with white markings and four wings sat on his hand. He let it take to the air and fly off. “Let's go!” Soren shouted, turning his horse to follow.

~#~

In the forest, the elves were readying their weapons, sharpening blades and poisoning arrowheads, when the moth landed on one untreated arrow. Runaan stared at it in horror then looked upwards, “They know we're here!” he whispered in slight panic, hearing horses whinnying in the distance. Quickly, he grabbed the necklace he wore and crushed it in his palm before throwing its dust into the air. “Mystica-Arbora,” he whispered urgently.

Soren soon arrived at the clearing, his horse rearing up as it suddenly came to a stop. Seeing the empty area, he climbed down when the moth had returned to his hand and scoffed, “Nothing! Surprising no one, a magic moth is just as worthless as a regular moth.” Letting the moth go, he eyed the clearing once more. “We'll have to wait for the elves to come to us,” he sighed, mounting his horse to begin the ride back.

Meanwhile, behind him, the trees and bushes of the clearing suddenly changed back into tents and Moonshadow elves. Runaan looked furious at the youngest, “You lied to me. You let him go!”

“Runaan, I'm sorry!” Rayla tried to explain, “The human he looked up at me and I saw the fear in his eyes.”

“Of course he was afraid!” the leader shouted, angry about the betrayal, “But you had a job to do!”

“He didn't do anything to me! How could I take his life?”

“You let him live,” he snapped, “But you've killed us all!”

* * *

**SL: Okay** **,** ** so I know a lot of this is things you already knew** **,** ** and some parts are pretty much word for word with the show** **,** ** but bear with it. I promise, it’s worth a touch of ** **patience.**

**RK: Chapter two luckily has a bit more divergence. :3**


	3. Chapter 2 – Found

#  Chapter 2 – Found

In the forest outside the city, two elves crouched on a large branch, looking at the distant castle.

“They'll be on the lookout for us now,” Runaan grumbled.

“Five of us won't be enough,” one of the assassins replied, a slight doubt in his eyes, “We need all six.”

Runaan glanced at him. “We'll be stronger as five.”

Below them, the remaining four sat, sharpening and inspecting weapons. However, it was clear they were isolating themselves from the youngest, who sat on the ground looking at her blade. She glanced over at one of her fellow Moonshadows, “Hey, could I borrow your sharpener thingy?”

“Whetstone,” the other replied gruffly.

“Yeah, that.”

“No.”

Rayla turned away from them, knowing her actions had caused more harm than good. Eventually, Runaan and the other elf returned from the tree tops, and landed near the young elf, his eyes still filled with hurt and betrayal. “Come with me,” he ordered sternly, leaving no room to argue as he walked off. She followed him, head down.

Once far enough away from the others, Runaan released a small breath, however, his hands still remained clenched into fists. “I thought you could do it, Rayla, but I was wrong.”

“You're not wrong. I can do it.”

“I know you've never taken before. I brought you because you're talented. Maybe the fastest and strongest of any of us…But it takes more than that. There's an instinct. A moment of truth,” he stopped and turned to face her, “And in that moment, you hesitate.”

“I won't hesitate again,” she retorted, trying to stay determined.

“You will…I see now that you're still just a child. Your heart isn't hard enough to do whatever it takes.”

“I messed up. I know I did. Because I let that human go, we're all in danger. But that's why you have to let me make it right.”

“No, it's too late for that.”

“I bound myself!” she snapped, reaching for her blades, “My heart for-”

The leader grabbed her before she could draw them, “You'll be unbound when the job is done. Your role now is to stay out of the way,” he forced her to sit on a rock near them, “You will wait here, quietly. If we're not back by sunrise, go home.”

Defeated, Rayla lowered her head and sat,glancing up at the distant castle above, and gradually, her determination was restored. She now stood alone, “I can fix this.” She ran off towards the fortress, climbing the trees for cover. She eventually made it past the patrol guards to the river. Rayla jumped across the rocks, and used her curved blades as hooks to climb up the cliff face and reach the very top of the castle wall.

The long, never ending climb was exhausting, so when she finally made it to the top, she pulled herself over and laid on her back. After getting her breath back, she forced herself to her feet, and looked out to the forest where the others would be waiting. “You’re wrong about me. I can do this. I _will_ do this,” she swore to herself before pulling her hood up and running into the palace via the tower.

Carefully manoeuvring through the palace, she found herself in a tower full of books and scrolls. As she looked around for some clue to where she needed to go, she spotted a young boy as he pulled at a painting and stepped out from behind it with a glowing yellow and green toad.

“Wow, see Bait, I knew that tunnel would lead somewhere cool,” he laughed before spotting her and freezing in his tracks, “Errrr….” He stared at her, then held out a treat in his hand, “Jelly tart?”

“Err… no thanks,” she declined, drawing her blades from behind her back and pointing them at him, “Listen, I’m looking for Prince Ezran.”

“Why? What do you want with me?”

“If you keep still, you’ll find out soon enough,” she answered, taking a step and preparing herself.

“Oh,” he said innocently, holding out the toad in his arms, “Have you met Bait? Say hello to my little friend.”

At which moment, Bait began to glow incredibly bright, blinding the elf and giving the boy a chance to flee back down the tunnel he’d just left, making sure to quickly pull the painting closed behind him. Below, the tunnel was lit by luminescent, blue crystals. The young boy had dropped his toad so he could run faster, and the glowing creature kept a steady pace beside him.

Finally, the pair came to a stone wall, and Ezran quickly began to press the rocks and stones before him. Suddenly, a staircase began to appear in the floor, and he ran down the steps to find a hidden room. He pulled a lever on the wall and the stairs began to retract.

Bait croaked at his side as he watched the stairs go back into the ceiling, but the prince merely smiled at him, “Don’t worry Bait, it took me over a month to figure out that combination. We’ll be safe in here,” Ezran explained as he began to look around for somewhere safe to hide and wait out the attacker.

However, a moment later, the stairs began to lower once more, and the white-haired assassin stepped down. Her weapons were still at the ready.

“Wait… how did you-?”

“I just pressed all the stones with the jelly handprints,” she replied with a slight smirk before beginning to walk towards the boy, but couldn’t help looking at the room she found herself in. All the remains in the surrounding jars were quite disturbing. “What is this place? Runaan is right! There's nothing in humans worth sparing,” she tensed, ready to kill, “Time's up. Humans killed the Dragon Prince. There must be justice.”

Ezran, absolutely terrified, ran to hide behind the nearby cluttered desk, but Rayla leapt over it and held Ezran at the edge of her blade. “Just close your eyes, it will be over soon,” she said, trying to give the small boy at least some sort of comfort.

He knew he was helpless against her. So, he simply followed her advice. Ezran closed his eyes, clutched his toad friend close, and waited for it to be over. As she raised her blade to end him, there was the sound of chains from behind, and a voice.

“W-who are you?”

Worried the new voice was a threat, Rayla turned around and saw a shape at the very back of the room, hidden in the shadows. It was looking at her.

“W-Who…” the voice repeated, but trailed off weakly.

The elf looked between the still cowering boy, and the dark shape, choosing to step closer to the shadows. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as she approached. Ezran, despite being with someone who had just tried to murder him, followed her towards the voice, “Who are you?”

Slowly, the form came into view for them both; it was a teenage boy with horns like an elf’s, and pale skin covered with thick scales. Bat-like wings sprouted from his back, and a thick, long tail was curled around his feet. His eyes were forest green, slited like a snake’s, and he was bound at both the wrists and ankles. There was enough room for movement, but not nearly enough to sit or lie down, stuck forever on his feet. He looked so weak, they doubted he could move even if he wanted to. His clothes were rags, his pants only just covered, and his shirt was full of holes, some of which looked like burn marks.

The human looked up at him, and he felt his heart break. Ignoring the assassin, who was still in a state of shock, the little prince walked over to him. “Poor guy…” he said softly. The draconic boy pulled away, scared of the child half his size.

“Hey, I’m not gonna hurt you,” Ezran smiled gently, glancing at his ribs on show. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a half-mushed treat, “Here, you want a jelly tart?”

The other boy sniffed at the air, and the smell made his mouth water, “J-jelly… tart?” he questioned, having never heard of it before.

“Yeah, you eat them. They’re sooo good. Bait and I love them.”

Sniffing it again, he slowly reached towards it. His hand hesitated constantly, like it was a trick or hallucination, but he eventually took hold of it. Once he felt the real pastry in his grip, he pulled it to his lips, taking a small bite of the corner.

Instantly, he felt better. Sugar, fruit, or whatever was in this was making him feel better. Or maybe it was the boy’s kindness. He felt his lip curl upwards, revealing a sharp looking canine, “J-jelly tart,” he repeated, and took another, larger bite.

Ezran smiled and pulled out a tart for himself, eating as well. “See? They’re good right?”

The winged boy nodded, “Good.”

Behind them, Rayla finally shook herself from the shock, “This is a miracle… everyone said you were dead!”

The dragon cowered at her shout, pulling the tart close to his chest and wrapping his tail around the human prince to protect him.

Ezran looked down at the scaly thing wrapped around him, “Wait, you know who this is?”

“This is the Dragon Prince! The firstborn of King Avizandum and Queen Zubeia ,” she gasped, then looked closer at the teen, “Why is he here? What have you humans done to him?!”

Throwing his hands up, Ezran shook his head, “I don’t know! I’ve never been in here before today! I mean, I came down here when I worked out the code, but I didn’t know he was down here… Look at him, he’s so…weak… come on, help me get him out of here.” He detangled himself from the tail and began to look around, rummaging through the cluttered desk and shelves, “There must be some keys around here somewhere.”

Hesitant, Rayla sheathed her swords and watched both Ezran as he searched, and the Dragon Prince who was happily nibbling on his jelly tart.

Eventually, he exclaimed triumphantly and held up the ring of keys he’d found. Hurrying over to the chained boy, he tried to compare key to lock. “Ah, come on, come on,” he muttered as he tried each one, then groaned as they failed to unlock the shackles.

Having finished his treat, the Dragon Prince just looked on in amazement as the little boy messed with the chains at his ankles. Suddenly, he heard a sound he hadn’t heard in a _very_ long time.

_Click_

“Ah! Got it!” Ezran grinned, turning to the other ankle and undoing that cuff. He looked up and frowned at the elf, “Hey, I can’t reach the high ones! Can you get them?”

Rayla blinked, “Wait, what?”

“Um, the high locks? I can’t reach. You’re taller. Can you get them?” he asked, holding out the working key, “Help me get him down.”

The Dragon Prince watched the woman with fear, but also with a sliver of hope. Carefully, she stepped toward the princes, reaching down and taking the key, but as she got closer, the dragon boy hissed, baring his teeth at her.

She decided to follow the human’s lead and smiled slightly, “Hey, shhh, it’s alright. I’m not gonna hurt you. I just want to get you out of here. See, I’m gonna undo the locks on your wrists just like Ezran did. I’m not gonna hurt you, I promise.” With her free hand, she reached out and cupped his cheek, gently stroking his face with her thumb. She tried not to react as she felt the thinness of his skin, and the thick scar that ran across his whole cheek on the right side. She continued to smile softly, “See, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to help.”

“Help…” he repeated, looking at his wrists in the shackles.

A little surprised at the hopeful look in his eyes, Rayla let go of his cheek and unlocked the remaining cuff, but as soon as she did, the boy fell to the floor, too weak to stand. Luckily, Ezran was able to half break the fall and Rayla the other half. The boy sat down for the first time in months and took a few deep breaths, unable to believe the relief his body felt from sitting. He closed his eyes for a while, then looked at the two who had released him. “I… I’m Callum,” he said softly.

Rayla knelt beside him and nodded, “I’m Rayla. I’m gonna get you out of here, okay Callum?”

“D-do…” he tried to speak, but coughed instead, his voice hoarse.

Ezran ran off for a moment and came back with a cup of water, poured from a jug he’d found while looking for the keys. “Here, drink this.”

Even if the movement ached, Callum grabbed the cup and downed it before holding it out again, “C-can I have more?”

“Sure!” Ez chuckled, filling it up again and again until the boy’s thirst was quenched.

He let out a sigh and looked at the human, his tail once again around him, “T-Thank you.”

As he had sat and drank, Rayla had looked him over. He was so skinny, his ribs were visible, and his wrists were rubbed raw from the tight shackles. “What have they been doing to you?” she whispered, more to herself than anyone as she wiped a tear from her eye.

Callum lowered his head. “I… I behave… do what he says… and I get fed.”

“What does he do to you Callum?”

“My blood…he takes my blood,” he whispered, curling up at the memory, “Cuts… my nails… cuts me… he… he…”

“Hey, shhh, it’s alright,” Ezran cooed, holding the boy’s arm in an attempt to comfort him, “It’s over now. Rayla… it’s Rayla right? Rayla and I are gonna get you out of here.”

“We are?” the elf questioned, confused by the prince adding himself to the escape plan.

“Yes, we are. I can get us out of the castle faster and easier than anyone else. I know all the secret passage ways. Callum is too weak to go out the front, so I’ll get you out the back,” he turned and glared at the assassin, “But if you try to kill me again, the deal’s off.”

“Y-you tried to kill him?” frowning slightly, Callum’s arms reached out and grabbed Ezran, then pulled him close to his chest, snarling at the elf.

Rayla held up her hands in surrender, “Hey, I wasn’t… I mean… I didn’t know…it’s just… umm….”

“He comes!” the dragon snapped, “He… he’s good. Y-you don’t hurt him.”

The elf nodded quickly, not wanting to upset the prince, “Okay, okay, I won’t hurt him.”

“Swear it.”

“I swear on my life! I won’t hurt the boy.”

Callum appeared to accept this, and slowly loosened his grip on Ezran. He looked exhausted from the mere, small confrontation.

Rayla shook her head slightly. “This changes everything. The Dragon Prince is alive.”

“Wait, if he’s the Dragon Prince, does that mean he could stop the war?” Ezran asked as he gave Callum another jelly tart.

Staring at the draconic boy, the Moonshadow elf contemplated what this development would mean for her people and the world as they knew it, “I don’t understand how he’s here…”

“Because my father saved it,” replied another voice, and the trio turned to see the dark-haired daughter of the high mage, a black orb resting in her hand.

Rayla quickly drew her blades, and Callum forced himself to his feet, even if it made him stumble.

“Claudia?” Ezran was confused by her presence, “D-did you know about this?”

“Ezran, get behind me. I can protect you from the elf,” she assured, tensing for a fight.

“Save him? Your father didn't save him. He stole him!”

“That's a lie!”

“Then… what’s he doing here?” Ez asked, helping Callum stand and whispering words of comfort.

Claudia frowned as she watched them, but kept her attention primarily on the elf. “My father took it to protect us, so the elves and dragons couldn’t use it.”

“What are you talking about?” Rayla snapped back, pointing at the teen, “Look at him, he’s too weak to even stand! How could we _use_ him?!”

“Don't play dumb! You know it’s a powerful weapon.”

“He’s not a weapon! He’s a boy!”

The mage turned her attention instead to the human prince hiding behind the elf. “Ezran, don't be afraid. Just put it down and walk towards me, and if she moves even an inch…” she drew a rune in the air and energy began to crackle around her, “Come towards me and leave that thing.”

“He's not a thing!” Rayla protested, hurt by her wording, “_He_ has a mother, and _he_ needs to go back to her.”

“Mother?” Callum whispered to himself, leaning against both the wall and Ezran. He looked up, terrified by the situation unfolding before him.

Ezran looked between the three people, his heart torn over what to do. He looked at the mage. “Sorry Claudia…NOW Bait!” he shouted.

At that moment, Bait emitted another flash of light, blinding Claudia. However, Rayla had seen it before and knew it was coming, so, she closed her eyes at just the right moment. Claudia staggered from the light, and Rayla kicked the mage in the stomach before grabbing her arm, and throwing it against the wall. The mage’s orb rolled along the floor after she was knocked briefly unconscious.

Sparing no time, Rayla quickly grabbed one of Callum’s old manacles and cuffed it around her arm before she had chance to recover. She grabbed the orb that Claudia had been using and ran to help the human carry the Dragon Prince up the stairs, and into the tunnels above.

“Which way now?” she asked, taking most of the weight from the smaller boy.

“We can’t go the way we came… too many guards,” Ez realised, looking around to try and remember where each tunnel led. Finally, he pointed to one of them, “Come on, this way!”

“No, wait!” Rayla called out, “We need to get him to the roof!”

“Why? There’s no way out from there.”

“Just… just trust me,” she said, glancing at the dragon who was trying to stand, but she could feel he was depending on her to stay upright.

Ezran frowned slightly, “But why do you need to go to the roof?”

“You might not realise it, but I'm trying to help you. Any moment now, others will be arriving,” she explained, “Others like me.”

It took a moment, but Ezran realised what she meant, “Assassins.”

“I need to show them Callum to stop them. Just … help me get up there.”

Ez looked down at Bait, who was glowing to provide some form of light. He nodded, “I'll take you to the roof.” Quickly, he changed his direction.

Callum moaned as he walked, his legs too weak. It was too much, too soon.

Rayla tried to encourage him. “Hold on there Callum, it’s gonna be alright. We’re gonna get you home.”

“Home…” he repeated, somewhat delirious, “Where… where’s home?”

“Xadia. I’m gonna get you to Xadia.”

He was confused by the word, “We-” he said, looking at Ezran and Bait as they walked on ahead, “We go to… to Xadia.”

Before she could reply, Ezran stopped by a large wooden door in the wall, and faced them, “Wait here, I’ll check if it’s clear.” Then, he pushed the door open slightly, peeked out, and looked both left and right. After a moment, he waved them on, entering a corridor from behind another painting.

As Rayla checked to make sure there weren’t any guards, Callum found himself looking up and his eyes widened. The hallway was lined with windows, and each one showed a beautiful, dark sky with a full moon lighting it brighter than any candle could. He called forth a moment of strength and pushed away from the Moonshadow elf. He staggered towards the window until the glass stopped him. Leaning on it, he looked up, trying to say something, but all words failed him. “It… it’s…” he managed, before wincing and curling in on himself, his stomach aching and his legs buckling.

Rayla and Ezran ran over to support him as he collapsed, overwhelmed and tired. Rayla shook her head as she looked between him and outside, “No-no-no, Callum, come on you got to get back up. We can’t stay here.”

“I… I can’t,” he whimpered, “I can’t.”

“Rayla, he needs to rest.”

The elf looked around, both outside the window and inside. She knew the others would be making their move soon. The moon was almost at its highest. They would be here soon if they weren’t here already. Her window to stop this tragedy was closing, and closing fast. She looked over at the dragon as he tried to lean on the wall, Ezran and Bait offering some comfort to him

“I’ll go ahead,” she decided, “Tell me how to get to the roof. I’ll try and hold them off long enough for him to recover, and when he can move, follow me.”

Ezran stared at her for a moment, then nodded, pointing to a door just across from them, “That door, straight up.”

“Alright,” she knelt by their sides, “Callum, I know you’re weak, but please, when you are able, try and move. I won’t be able to hold them off for long. If you want to escape this place… if you want to help Ezran, you need to get back up.”

He stared at her, and for a moment, she felt his desire to help.

“I-I’ll try.”

“Thank you.” She turned to the young human and nodded curtly, heading up the stairs that led to the stone walkway. The moonlight shone bright and guided her. Oddly, this walkway, unlike the ones below, had no guards on it. This made her wary, and she looked around with a skilled eye. “You're here,” she spoke to the thin air, turning around to try and find some hint of their location, “I know you are.”

“Rayla.”

She turned back and saw the lead assassin walking across the wall’s battlements. His bow was strung over his back and he looked furious at her presence, “You defied me!”

“Runaan, you need to call off the mission,” she begged, hands held out in hope.

As he jumped down, and the Moonshadow elf frowned. “You've lost your mind.”

“Please, listen to me. I’ve found something,” her voice rose a little in joy at her discovery, “The Dragon Prince himself!”

“That's impossible.”

“The prince wasn’t killed! He was stolen. Their high mage was using him for dark magic, but the human prince and I found him! He only wants to help save-”

“No. Humans are liars. This is a trick and a trap,” Runaan interrupted, unable to believe what was being said, “You’re a fool, Rayla.”

“She's not a fool,” came another voice, and the pair turned to face the door at the end of the walkway. Who they saw was a young, dark-skinned prince, standing in the doorway alone, “What she’s telling you is true.”

Drawing his bow, Runaan took aim, “You’ve made a terrible mistake.”

Not flinching at the aimed arrow, Ez turned to look back, and held out his hand, “Come on Callum, it’s alright.”

The stairs had clearly taken a lot out of the wounded dragon. He limped out, but somehow managed to look at the second elf. His eyes widened at the arrow while his tail instinctively wrapped around the human to keep him safe.

Runaan gasped at the sight, amazed, and lowered his weapon. “He’s… he’s alive?”

“How can we take vengeance for an act that never happened?” Rayla protested, “You have to call it off.”

“Rayla, you know it doesn't work that way,” the leader countered, “We bound ourselves. There's only one way to release.”

“Runaan, please. There has to be another way. This is a miracle, a chance for peace.”

The assassin wasn’t having it and he drew his bow once more, “The humans struck down the King of the Dragons. Justice will not be denied. Now, give me the prince.”

Preparing herself for a fight, Rayla drew both blades at once, “Callum, Ezran, go back.”

“But-”

“Just keep him safe,” she commanded, not looking back.

Ez frowned, but helped Callum back inside the tower just as the few clouds in the sky parted. A full moon shone down on the two elves, filling them both with elemental power. Runaan frowned as he pulled his bow apart, and created two blades that resembled Rayla’s. “Don't do this,” he almost pleaded as the power of the moon made his skin dark and transparent, “I will kill you.”

When the same power took hold of Rayla, she smirked, “Probably.” Then, she charged forwards to clash with her lifelong mentor.

~#~

Inside the tower, Ezran helped Callum get all the way to the ground level, and out into the courtyard. Luckily, he found a convenient hay cart waiting by the door. With Callum exhausted once more, the human prince helped him into the cart, lying him down, and covering his body with the hay. “Here. You can rest here for a bit, but you need to stay hidden.”

“Ezran,” the boy called out weakly.

“Don’t worry, Bait will stay with you,” Ez promised, taking the glow toad off his shoulder and placing him in the other boy’s arms, “Hold him tight, he’ll keep you safe. I’m gonna go talk to my dad,” he smiled comfortingly, “I’ll be right back. Stay here okay?”

Nodding and holding Bait tight, the Dragon Prince closed his eyes as Ezran covered his head and left towards his father’s tower.

Once he made it up and pushed past the guards, he quickly headed for the front door. The mage’s son stopped him in his tracks, “Whoa, slow down there little prince. The king's pretty busy right now.”

“You're not stopping me!” Ez snapped, pushing past for the door, when suddenly, it opened, and the High Mage himself stepped out, a sour look on his face.

Viren saw the child and frowned even more. “_You_ should not be here.”

“I know what you did,” the young boy declared firmly, “You stole the Dragon Prince. Hurt him! Tortured him!” His anger was clear, even for someone so young, “We found him, and we're keeping him safe!”

“We?” Lord Viren repeated, caught by the word.

Pointing at him, the prince frowned, “My father will have you in shackles when he finds out about this.”

“What makes you so sure he doesn't already know?” Viren countered, watching the look of horror wash over the boy’s face. The mage nodded to the guards, “Grab him.”

“But…he's the prince.”

“Do it!”

Despite trying to run, the guards grabbed the boy and held him still while Viren looked down at him, stamping his staff down on the floor for emphasis, “Now, tell me. Where is the dragon?”

“I'll call out! I'll scream!”

“Go ahead,” the mage challenged, reaching into his pocket and pulling something out before crushing it in his palm. He began an enchantment, his eyes glowing brightly as he spoke the words. The carcass in his hand glowed a bright green before a smoke like hand reached out and entered the prince’s mouth. It removed a glowing yellow orb from within him.

Ezran tried to speak, but nothing came from his lips. At that moment, he realised the horrors this man could commit and how scared Callum must have been. Even when the smoke was gone, he still couldn’t speak.

~#~

On the roof, the two Moonshadow elves clashed over and over again on the battlements. As they pushed against each other, Runaan frowned down at his student. “You're better than this,” he hissed.

Rayla smirked a little, “No, not really. You’ve had about twenty years more training.”

“Not your fighting skills. I mean your character,” he clarified, kicking her in the stomach and off the tower. Somehow, Rayla caught herself on the far wall and pulled herself back up with a grunt, but she found herself under attack from arrows. Narrowly dodging them, Rayla sliced them away with her blades.

Runaan switched back to his blades once he saw it was of no use. After a brief clash once more, he backed off for a moment. Rayla made the effort to try again, “You saw the prince. There’s no need for vengeance tonight.”

It was no use, and they continued the fight. Rayla panted heavily from the effort it took to just hold her ground against her mentor and leader.

Eventually, Runaan realised something, and looked behind him to the King’s tower, “You’re just trying to stall me.”

“Interesting theory,” she shrugged, casually leaning on her blades with a confident smile, “Care to discuss?”

He was furious at both her deception and her attitude. “Your justice will come later,” he vowed, then turned to go forth on his true mission, jumping off the walkway and onto the other rooftops.

Rayla desperately called for him to stop, but he ignored her. She attempted to follow, but he was too fast. So, she decided to change direction and headed for the tower, searching for where the princes could have gone to.

She slid past a guard, still invisible to his eyes before finding a cart of hay… that appeared to be glowing?

Parting it, she soon saw the Dragon Prince with his eyes screwed shut, tightly clutching Bait. The toad glowed vividly and croaked.

“Not so good at hiding this one,” she observed, watching the prince open his eyes and smile softly at her.

“Rayla.”

“Come on, we need to get you out of here.”

“No. Ezran.”

“Never mind the human we need-”

“No!” he shouted, his strength returning again, “I won’t go without him!”

Even if he was weak, she couldn’t fight him. Rayla sighed, “Alright. Where did he go?”

“To talk to his dad.”

Rayla’s eyes went wide as she looked to the King’s tower. “Oh no. That’s the last place he should be right now!” she gasped, and dashed quickly towards it.

~#~

Inside, Viren looked down at the young boy he’d stolen the voice from, “You impudent little _mongrel_. You were spoiled and given everything, and that has left you weak and helpless. Tonight, your world is changing, and there is nothing you or anyone can-” he stopped, hearing the wind howl ominously within the tower walls as the torches were all extinguished.

“They're here!” Soren exclaimed, looking towards the entryway. Moments after, an arrow flew towards them and the guard pushed Ezran away. He took a shot to the shoulder, but his armour stopped any damage. He pulled it out and stared at it before throwing it to the floor and drawing his blade. “Defend the doors!”

As the guards all approached the one entryway, they could only just make out a figure that launched itself at one of them. Two were taken out in seconds, and they charged for a third. It wasn’t long before a full-on fight was happening within the corridor. Amidst the confusion, Viren was knocked back, and he dropped the claw that held Ezran’s voice, breaking the spell and returning it to the prince.

Coughing when it returned, the boy stared at the doors to his father’s chambers, “Dad!” he yelled, but his voice was lost in the clashing of swords and shouts. He felt tears in his eyes at how helpless he was, but he also felt the fear of being caught up in this confrontation.

Suddenly, something grabbed his arm, and while he almost screamed out, he soon recognised the outline. He could tell it was Rayla.

“Ez, we need to go,” she whispered, keeping low to avoid the attention of the guards, “Callum needs you. Please.”

He looked at the door, then back at the fight, then to the elf before finally nodding. He hurried with her down the tower, passing the bodies of those who had fallen. Outside, Callum was leaning on the edge of the cart with Bait, looking at the pair as they returned.

“Ezran… did you…” he stopped, looking up as he heard swords clanging in the tower. A fearful gaze came to his eyes from some distant, buried memory.

Rayla saw the Dragon Prince’s fear, but also the longing in the human’s eyes. “Look, say the word and I'll go back into that tower,” she offered, readying herself.

Ezran looked at Callum, then at Rayla, and shook his head, “No…It's up to us now. We have to return Callum home. We need to keep him safe and get him to Xadia.”

“We could change things,” Rayla said, hopeful and smiling, “We could make a difference.”

“Just the three of us.”

At which point, Bait jumped onto Ezran’s head and croaked, turning red. The human chuckled and nodded, “The four of us.”

With a confident nod, they began to head out of the palace, Callum having gained enough strength to run short distances without stumbling. However, the others remained close for when his strength would eventually fail. They made it out of the castle and across the bridge, since most of the guards were too busy with the attackers already inside. As they crossed the bridge, Callum had to pause for breath and Rayla looked out for danger. Ezran glanced at the King’s tower, thinking of the battle that had been going on.

The draconic boy frowned when he saw his expression. “Ezran?”

“My dad… he will… be okay right?”

Callum looked at him, then at the tower, “I…I don’t know.”

Rayla kept silent, but glanced at the silver ribbon on her wrist, “We need to move. Callum, you ready?”

Pushing himself up, the teen nodded, and began to run as best as he could.

Ezran kept looking at the tower before turning to Bait, “He has the finest guards in the kingdom defending him. He’ll be fine… Yeah, of course he will,” he told himself, and hurried after the others.

~#~

Back inside, Runaan limped his way towards the King’s balcony, bow in hand, and holding his side from a painful wound. However, he was determined to complete his task. As he walked, the silver ribbon on his left arm turned a blood red and unwrapped from him, falling to the floor.

Somehow, he managed to draw the red and black Shadow Hawk arrow from his back, tied the blood ribbon to it, and took aim at the sky. Each movement sent waves of pain through his body, but he lifted his head and said the words “Regina Draconis” before finally letting it go.

The arrow glowed as it flew, and became a bird made of red smoke, flying back to Xadia.

At the castle, Runaan felt a sword at his neck, and looked up to see one guard had survived, the mage’s son. He turned and glared at him, “Finish this.”

“My pleasure,” Soren huffed, raising his blade to decapitate the elf.

“No!” came a sharp voice. The mage’s daughter stepped forward, anger evident in her eyes, “We can find more practical uses for this one. Tie him up.”

The guards quickly moved to follow her orders and take Runaan away.

~#~

Down in the city, Rayla jumped over a fence and into a common garden, which happened to have a line full of clothes. She looked over them and tried to find something suitable for Callum to wear.

When she reached out for a shirt, she noticed the ribbon on her right arm turned red, loosened, and fell to the ground by her feet. She looked up just in time to see the Shadow Hawk fly over her head, another ribbon tied to its foot.

She watched it go before hearing Ezran behind her.

“Psst! Rayla? What’s wrong? We need to go. Grab something!”

She glanced at him, then nodded, picking up everything she could think he’d need before stealing a pair of boots that were drying by the back door. Bundling them up for later, when it was safe, she made her way back to the others and hurried with them out of the city, and into the forest.

* * *

**SL: Soooo now we are starting to get to the interesting stuff. Hope you enjoyed it!**

**RK: Hope ye like it so far! From this point on, the real divergence starts to begin. :)**


	4. Chapter 3 – Breathing Again

#  Chapter 3 – Breathing Again

Rayla sighed as she looked around the clearing they had come across in the forest, “This will do. We can stay here for a bit.”

“Good. I feel like I’ve been awake all night,” Ezran groaned, sitting down against a tree and rubbing his feet.

With an exhausted sigh, Callum sat down beside the human, “I’m tired too…”

“It’s alright Callum, we’ll stop for a bit. Right Rayla?”

“We can’t afford to stop for too long but… yeah, long enough.” She pulled the bundle off her back and passed it to Callum, “Here, change into these, you’ll feel better for it.” Walking away to a rock that she sat on top of.

The Dragon Prince looked at the clothing, and nodded, removing his rags and throwing them away. As he started to remove his pants, Rayla blushed a slight pink and quickly turned her back to him.

He hissed a few times as the clothes touched his painful sores and bruises, but eventually, he got the clothes on: an undershirt with pale trim at the edges, a belt around his middle, and a blue jacket on top. Rayla had already cut two holes in the back so he could get them over his wings which were now covered with a long, dark red cloak. It was partially a scarf, so it would work well for hiding his mouth and fangs, plus the hood would conceal his horns.

He had a pair of dark grey trousers and brown boots, while in the pockets of the trousers, he found a pair of brown, fingerless gloves. They were perfect for his still sore hands and wrists.

Ezran chuckled as he watched the prince look over his new clothes. “Wow Callum, the look suits you! But… you have the trousers on backwards.”

“My tail won’t go otherwise,” he explained, groaning and sitting back down against the tree. He looked up at the night sky, “I… I forgot what the sky looks like,” he admitted softly.

“Yeah, the stars are pretty aren’t they?” the human yawned, holding onto Bait, and leaning on the older boy as carefully as he could, knowing he was still hurt and weak.

The prince smiled and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulders, his tail shifting to wrap around them both and keep them warm while they slept.

Rayla smiled at the tender scene and nodded, “You should get some sleep too Callum. You’re still weak.”

Shaking his head, he whimpered. “I don’t want to.”

“Callum, you need to rest,” she sighed, walking over to him.

“I don’t want to,” he repeated, turning his head away.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m scared I’ll wake up _there_ again,” he sobbed, tears falling down his face.

Rayla stared at him, and once she was sure Ezran was still asleep, she reached out and wiped his tears away, “Callum, I promise, this is all real. You really _are _safe and we will get you home.”

“How can I know? How can I know this isn’t… isn’t a dream? That you’re real?”

Unsure of how to answer the question, the Moonshadow elf sighed, thinking for a moment before an idea popped into mind. “Give me your hand,” she said, holding out her own.

Callum, still crying, looked confused at the request, “Why?”

“So I can prove this isn’t a dream.”

Tilting his head a little, he slowly held out the hand that wasn’t holding Ezran. Taking it, she carefully moved his hand to her chest, right over her heart, “Listen. Can you feel that?”

Callum frowned and closed his eyes for a bit, feeling what she was trying to show him. He felt it, a steady, calm beat below his hand.

“That’s my heart,” Rayla explained, “_My heart_. No dream can fake that. See? It’s not a dream. You are free, and safe, and with friends.”

Opening his eyes, he stared at her through the tears, “I’m free?”

“Yes. And we will get you home,” she promised, stroking his hair and tucking a bit behind his ear, “Now, to do that, you need your strength back. I’ll be right here all night, watching over you, okay? So, lie back and try to sleep.”

Staring at her for a while, he mentally wondered if he really _should _sleep. Eventually, Callum decided that he’d risk it. He took his hand off her chest and leaned against the tree a little more, pulling his cloak over his body for extra warmth, and closed his eyes.

Rayla watched until he fell asleep, and moved back to her rock so she could watch the pair, but also the area around them.

As the night continued to pass, she looked at the second ribbon on her left wrist, and glared at it before trying to pull it free. She tried biting her way through it, but with no success. She frowned, holding her hand out over it and calling out a variety of commands; “Unbind yourself! Unbind thyself,” nothing changed, “Unbindo!” She tried once more before giving up with an exasperated sigh.

There was a grunt from the other side of the clearing and she panicked for a second, worrying one of the boys might have woken up, but it was just Bait that was staring at her from over the dragon’s tail. She glared back at the toad, “Don't judge me,” she told him, “So what, I'm talking to my ribbon-thing? How is that any worse than talking to a… whatever it is you are?”

Bait growled and licked his eye.

Rayla rolled her eyes and turned her back to them, but a bell from the city was still close enough to be heard. It drew her attention, and guilt filled her chest, knowing what it meant. She looked at Ezran, unable to bring herself to tell him what had happened, and turned to just keep watch.

A few times during the night, she heard Callum whimper and was worried he’d wake, but each time, he appeared to have settled back down.

Eventually, the sky lightened and the sun began to peek over the horizon. Rayla felt wrong for doing it, but she walked over to the pair and shook each one awake, “Come on you two, we need to get moving.”

The pair woke slowly, yawning and stretching. Callum woke first and blinked as he saw the outside world, “It… it wasn’t a dream,” he whispered, standing up and leaving the human behind.

As he stood, he felt his jaw drop, looking skyward, “Blue! It’s blue!” he whispered with a smile.

Rayla looked up as well, “Umm, yeah… it’s the sky?”

“I’d forgotten,” he confessed, still staring upwards, “I forgot it was blue. I… I tried. I tried to remember but… I never could.” He stepped forwards towards the clearing. The sun peeked out over the trees and warmed his face. He slowly closed his eyes and after a moment, took a deep breath. The smell of the trees, the grass, the dirt, and the warmth all made a smile come to his lips. He couldn’t resist taking an even deeper breath.

Beside him, Rayla smiled to herself, and realised this was probably the first time he’d seen the sky in years, and maybe, there _was_ hope. For the Dragon Prince, for the future, and for all of Xadia.

Ezran had somehow gotten up and walked over to Callum, watching him with a smile, “Callum? You okay?”

He turned to the small boy and smiled so happily that he could’ve sworn there were tears in his eyes.

“I’m free,” he said before falling to his knees, hugging the young human tightly, and sobbing into his shoulder, “I’m free. I’m free,” he sniffled, then looked at Rayla, holding his hand out to her.

Once she placed her hand in his, he pulled her towards him, catching her off guard, and pulling her into his hug. For a while, the trio just hugged the prince who simply cried in his happiness.

“Thank you…” he finally whispered, pulling back and wiping his tears away.

Feeling his happiness blossom within her, Rayla placed a hand on his shoulder, “Come on, we need to get moving.”

“Where are we going to go?” the human asked while they all got to their feet.

“We head to Xadia, we get Callum home, and we make peace between humans, elves and dragons.”

“But… Callum isn’t strong enough to make that long of a trip,” Ez replied, holding his hand out towards the Dragon Prince.

Callum stood by them, swaying a little on the spot. “I’m fine,” he managed after a moment, clearly lying.

The elf frowned when she realised the human was right. “We need somewhere to hide out for a few days while Callum gets his strength back. We also need to prepare for the trip. Ideas?”

“How about the Banther Lodge?” Ezran offered, “I mean, it’s where my dad was sending me, so he must have sent food for me as well. It’s in the middle of nowhere, so it’s quiet and it’s not too far away from here.”

“Problem; if your father was sending you there, it will be filled with humans. Not a safe place for a dragon and an elf.”

“No, it’s the winter lodge, so it will be empty.”

Rayla frowned, “Wait, so your father was going to send you to a lodge… alone?”

“Well… no, he would have sent me with guards and staff but… since I kinda ran away, they won’t be there now. Come on, can’t we at least look? It’s not far.”

Considering the facts and the lack of options, Rayla nodded, “Alright, lead the way then.”

For the next few hours, the group walked through the forest, staying off any main paths or roads until they came to a clearing with a large building in the middle. The building before them had two floors with glass windows, and was skilfully built with stone and wood while surrounding it, were luscious, conifer trees.

Rayla looked around then frowned, turning to the boys, “Stay here, I’m gonna make sure there’s no one around,” she told them before running towards the lodge.

Ezran, Bait, and Callum watched as she left, and waited patiently until they saw the front door open. Rayla came out, waving her arm above her head as an ‘all clear’.

She smiled as they got closer, “Looks like you were right Ez. All clear and stocked for a stay.” She pointed to four large baskets that were behind the front door, each one filled with food; bread, dried meat, fruit, and even what looked like a box of jelly tarts. “There’s enough food here to keep us going for a while and we can pack some to take with us.”

“Great! I’m guessing you already looked around?”

“Yeah, not a bad place to hide out.”

Callum looked around as well and nodded, “I like it.”

* * *

**SL: Only a short chapter but so sweet. This was the part that inspired the title ‘Breath of Hope’. Hope you enjoyed the first three chapters! Feel free to drop us a review or comment or like… just let us know what you think! **

**RK: This part was both the inspiration for the title _and _the cover art! Wanted to capture that relieved joy our dragon baby felt. ^-^**


	5. Chapter 4 – Banther Lodge

# 

# Chapter 4 – Banther Lodge

# 

After Ezran had shown his new friends around the lodge, they decided to move all the food to the kitchen. In doing so, the trio had worked up an appetite. So, they pulled together a spread of the various foods that had been delivered, and gathered the preserves that were already in the cabinets.

# 

Considering their differences and the situation around them, it was oddly relaxing to sit down together and finally unwind. Rayla helped herself to some fruit and berries, and Ezran went for the dried fish and bread. Bait wasted no time in snatching some berries for himself. Callum however, just sat and stared, amazed by this collection. He was so overwhelmed by the smells, colours, and differences.

# 

“Callum? You alright?” Rayla noticed his distress.

# 

“I-I don’t know what to have,” he confessed, eyes shifting downward in embarrassment.

# 

Rayla and Ez looked at each other, and Ezran smiled, “Well… try everything.”

# 

“What?”

# 

“Have some of everything! See what you like.”

# 

For a moment, it looked like the dragon’s mind was about to explode, but Ezran reached across the table and picked up a ripe green pear, holding it out to him, “Here, try a pear.”

# 

He sniffed cautiously before taking it, turning it over in his fingers. Callum looked over each side, and prodded at it a bit before taking the largest bite he could.

# 

Ez covered his mouth to keep from laughing at the dragon’s actions.

# 

As he chewed the fruit, his brow raised as if trying to decide the taste. Finally, he froze, and a queasiness came about his expression. Before anyone could say or do anything, he opened his mouth and let the half-chewed mess fall to the table and onto the plate before him.

# 

The sight of half-eaten food made Rayla gag while Ezran only broke out into hysterics, almost falling off his chair.

# 

Confused by their reactions, Callum sank back into his seat a little, “Did… did I do something wrong?”

# 

Reaching over for the plate, the elf put it to the side, “No Callum. You just… looks like you don’t like pears.”

# 

“Yeah, why don’t you try this?” Ez smirked, a devilish evil sparking in his eye. This time, he held out an apple.

# 

Before he could take hold of it, Rayla’s blades had stabbed it out of the human’s hand, tossed it up into the air, and in a dramatic fashion, sliced it into four smaller bite sized pieces. “Just a _little_ bit this time,” she said, offering one to the dragon and glaring at the human for his attempted mischief.

# 

As if testing his freedom, Callum slowly tried every single item on the table, including pure salt. He decided he liked the cheese, loved the meat, the bread was much nicer than before, and he decided that fruit was not always the best. Eventually, he picked up a bit of something that smelled funny, but he was sure he wanted to try it.

# 

Putting the item in his mouth, he soon felt the familiar queasiness as when he’d eaten the pear. He leaned forward, ready to spit it out again when Rayla stood up and pointed at him, “Oh no you don’t!” she scolded a little sharply, “It’s only a small bit, you can still eat it even if you don’t like it.”

# 

The dragon stared at her, then looked between the plate and the elf before he leant back and thickly swallowed whatever had disgusted him, shivering slightly at the effort. “I don’t like that,” he said, pointing at the plate of fish.

# 

“I kinda guessed.”

# 

~#~

# 

After the meal was finished and they had cleaned up, the trio headed to the main part of the lodge. There, Ezran helped set up a fire in the hearth and they sat down for their first evening in the lodge.

# 

Callum had found himself a large chair to sit in, lounging across it with his wings folded behind him and his tail around his body. He was silent for a bit, watching the fire crackle and burn before he turned his gaze to the others. The human sat with Bait on the floor, playing with a toy, while Rayla stood by the window, looking out for danger.

# 

Forcing himself up, he looked at her for a while, then bit his lip, “Rayla… can…can I ask you something?”

# 

“What is it Callum?”

# 

“Well… you… you know who I am right? Can… can you tell me?” he asked, embarrassed as he looked at his hands.

# 

“Tell you?”

# 

“Who I am,” he kept his head lowered as he spoke, “I… I've forgotten.”

# 

Rayla glanced at him with a haunted expression before nodding and moving to sit beside him, “Sure. Well… you’re the Dragon Prince.”

# 

“What does that mean?”

# 

“It means you are the son of King Avizandum and Queen Zubeia. Their only child. Well… there was talk of another egg, but apparently it hasn't hatched, so you are the only _living_ heir. One day, you are going to rule over all of Xadia.”

# 

“I am?” he asked, surprised, and a little scared of the idea.

# 

“Yeah. But ten years ago, you were stolen away by a human mage.”

# 

He cowered back, “Master Viren…”

# 

Anger filled the Moonshadow's eyes at the name, “Yeah, him. But everyone thought you had been killed… So, a war started between humans and Xadia.”

# 

“A war?”

# 

“Lots of people have been hurt and killed Callum. Families… torn apart by it. But hopefully, with you alive, we can stop the fighting.”

# 

Callum looked down at his hands, the tips of his fingers still raw from having his talons so over-clipped. “But… how can I stop the fighting?”

# 

“By showing everyone you’re alive.”

# 

“Will that be enough?”

# 

“We can only hope.”

# 

“So… I'm… going to be king Callum?”

# 

The elf winced a little, “Umm… no. You'll be King Cadonumis.”

# 

“Cad what?”

# 

“That's your real name” she explained with a smile, “D-Don't you remember?”

# 

“I don't remember anything but that room.”

# 

“Did that man put a spell on you?”

# 

“No… I just… forgot.”

# 

She sighed and gently put her arm around him, pulling him towards her, “Don't worry, it’s going to be alright. I'm gonna teach you everything you need to know.”

# 

“Promise?”

# 

“Promise.”

# 

He leaned his head on her shoulder for a bit before looking up as best as he could, “Rayla… do I have to be Cadonumis?”

# 

“What do you mean?”

# 

“I… I like Callum. It’s the only name I know. I… I… I like it.”

# 

“Well, I guess we can call you Callum as a nickname, if you wish.”

# 

“Please?”

# 

“Alright, Callum.”

# 

He went quiet for a bit, thinking about what he’d been told, “So… what… what does it mean to be a dragon?”

# 

Rayla looked down at Callum, his cheek resting comfortably against her shoulder while he stared on in thought. She reached to his hair and brushed it back softly. “To be a dragon, is to be one of the most powerful and beautiful creatures in Xadia,” she explained, “They’re the protectors of our land and of those who dwell within it.”

# 

“But… what is it like?”

# 

She chuckled a little and scratched his ear, “I wouldn’t know silly, I’m not a dragon.” Callum winced a little at his mistake, pulling slightly away, but Rayla pulled him back. “But I imagine it’s amazing. Dragons can change forms you know?”

# 

“Really?”

# 

“Yeah. Right now, you’re in what’s known as ‘hybrid’ or halfway. Dragons can shift between an elfoid or humanoid form, to a hybrid, or to a full dragon.”

# 

“What’s a full dragon?”

# 

Ezran turned at that one, “A full dragon is this _enormous_ creature with a long neck and great big wings that cause the trees to bend when they move. And they can breathe fire!”

# 

Callum’s eyes went shockingly wide at the description, “A-and that’s what I am?”

# 

“Yeah, you’re a dragon. But you’re not strong enough to shift yet.”

# 

“I’m not?”

# 

“Callum, you can barely make it up the stairs without running out of breath,” she reminded him softly, “But give it some time, you’ll get there.”

# 

Putting his head back on her shoulder, the prince thought, then nodded, “So… what about being the Dragon Prince? What does that mean?”

# 

“I told you, one day you will rule over all of Xadia.”

# 

“But that’s ‘one day’. What about now?”

# 

Rayla thought for a moment at the question, “Now… it means you are a prince.”

# 

“So… what does it mean to be a prince?”

# 

“I might be better suited to answer that question,” the human said, standing up with a proud smile, “Since I _am_ a prince myself!”

# 

Rayla smirked at him as she continued to stroke Callum’s hair, “Alright then Ez, what _does_ it mean to be a prince?”

# 

Clearing his voice, the boy closed his eyes and stood straight with his hand raised slightly, “A prince is an apprentice king, a boy learning the trade of his father. And as such, he needs to act with the responsibility of the king he will become. He should always ensure his actions look favourably on his country. He should remember that every life is precious and every action has consequences. And above all, he must remember a king is nothing without his people, so he should ensure they are protected and cared for.”

# 

Rayla blinked at the description, “Wow Ez, that… that was really good.”

# 

“Yeah well…” he blushed, rubbing the back of his neck and looking sheepish, “The royal tutors kinda drilled it into me.”

# 

Callum chuckled, “So… that’s what being a prince means?”

# 

“Yeah. But it’s also all sorts of silly things like… always using a napkin and… never stick a pencil in your hair, and make sure you don’t use the salad fork on the fish course. Stuff like that.”

# 

“I don’t like fish,” Callum muttered and pulled a disgusted face at the memory.

# 

“We know,” the elf said, scratching his ear again.

# 

Callum smiled while he looked at the fire, but he felt his eyes drift closed and his head nod. A wave of exhaustion crashed over him, and Rayla smirked as he forced himself back up.

# 

“Alright you two, time to get some sleep.”

# 

“But Rayla…”

# 

“Don’t wanna hear it. You might be a prince but I know better right now. So come on, time for bed,” she stood up and looked down at him, “Come on, _both_ of you. It’s getting late and you need to rest Callum.”

# 

Ezran yawned as he stood, “Yeah, it will be nice to sleep in a bed tonight. Come on Callum, I’ll show you your room.”

# 

“My… room?” the dragon asked, walking with the others upstairs to a landing with four doors. Ezran pushed one open and revealed a room with a window, double bed, a chest, and a small table.

# 

“Here you go, you can have this one,” Ez explained.

# 

Callum looked around the room, perplexed, “W-why is it mine?”

# 

“Well, you sleep in here,” the human continued, going over to the bed and climbing on, “See? This is a bed.”

# 

“Bed?”

# 

“For sleeping in. Come on, try it.”

# 

Confused, the dragon walked over and placed a hand on the cover. He withdrew it quickly, eyes wide. “It moved!”

# 

The human chuckled, “Yeah, because it’s soft. Climb on.”

# 

Fearful of this new thing, the prince slowly climbed onto it, crawling on his hands and knees while he tried to get a hold of his balance. Once he had, he looked over at Ez, “N-Now what?”

# 

“You lie down silly,” Rayla added as she walked over and pulled the covers near the top, “Here, put your head on this… and lie down here.”

# 

With slight, unsteady movements, he did as told, and lay on his back. His wings spread to the side and his tail trailed to the floor. “It… it’s warm.”

# 

“That’s the idea. Now, you pull this up,” the elf continued, unable to believe she was teaching a dragon how to get into bed, “So you stay nice and warm.”

# 

Callum, with his head visible, smiled, “I like this… bed.”

# 

“Yeah, they _are_ nice.”

# 

“Smells nice,” he mumbled sleepily, his eyes drooping until they closed.

# 

Holding a finger to her lips, Rayla nodded for the door. Ezran nodded in reply and they quietly made their way out.

# 

Callum suddenly sat up, sending the cover flying, “Where are you going?!” he gasped, fear in his eyes, “You’re not leaving me are you?”

# 

Hurrying over, the elf held his hand and cupped his cheek, “No, no Callum, we won’t leave you. Ez is going to his own room with a bed, and I’ll be outside keeping watch, making sure you’re safe. I won’t be far, I promise.”

# 

“Promise?”

# 

“I swear on my life, I won’t be far.”

# 

He nodded into her hand and slowly moved back to lie down. Rayla tucked him in and brushed his hair back as he closed his eyes again. Once he was asleep, she made her way out, and closed the door until it was only slightly ajar.

# 

In the hallway, she looked at Ezran, who was holding Bait to his chest.

# 

“You going to tuck me in too?”

# 

Rayla looked at him, wondering if he was serious before shaking her head and turning away, “You’re big enough to get yourself into bed,” she told him before heading downstairs to the dying fireplace.

# 

Ezran pouted a little, but shrugged, heading to his own room and climbing into the bed he normally slept in when at the lodge.

# 

~#~

# 

A few hours had passed. The fire had long since burnt out, but Rayla didn’t mind the darkness. Even in a human home, it was nice to have her natural element surrounding her. The elf looked at the ribbon, feeling how tight it was around her wrist. It was already starting to cut off her blood flow.

# 

Rayla had tried everything she could think of to get it off, even her blades didn’t make a chip. She was beginning to think the only way to get rid of it was to cut her hand off.

# 

Worries and fears filled her mind, thoughts swarming, when suddenly, she heard a scream from upstairs.

# 

She ran as fast as she could and jumped up onto the landing. Following the scream to Callum’s room, she threw the doors open with blades at the ready, but all she found was the teen tossing and turning in the bed, screaming.

# 

Weapons sheathed, she hurried over to him and held his arms as they trashed about, “Callum! Callum! Callum it’s alright! It’s alright, it’s just a bad dream.”

# 

He bolted awake, his eyes wide and filled with tears, “R-Rayla?” he sobbed, still caught up in his nightmare. He took a moment, then struggled free of her grasp, hugging her tight, “Rayla… I-I-I-it was so real… he-he was right here. He-he had y-you. H-he-he was hurting you. He was hurting me. Ez… the blood. He was here… he was _right_ here… he… I-I… it was s-so real.”

# 

“Shhh,” she whispered, stroking his hair back as he sobbed, “It’s alright Callum, it was just a nightmare.”

# 

“But he was right here!” he shouted, breaking away from her, looking around the room, and searching shadows, “He-he-he was here! I saw him! He…he was…”

# 

“Callum, it was a dream. No one is here but you and me.”

# 

“Ezran!” the dragon gasped, “W-where’s Ezran?!”

# 

“Still asleep in his bed.”

# 

“Y-you mean… he’s still here?”

# 

“Yes, he’s here. He’s fine. He’s asleep.”

# 

“Rayla?” Came a sleepy sounding voice from the doorway. The human stood there, rubbing his eyes, “I-I heard screaming.”

# 

Still panting in half panic, Callum looked away, embarrassed, but Rayla just smiled at the boy. “Callum had a bad dream.”

# 

“Oh,” Ez looked at the clearly, still scared dragon. “Wait here,” he said, then left the room. A few seconds later, he returned with an unlit candle and a couple of pillows. He put the pillows on the bed with Callum and set the candle to the side, taking a strike to the wick. “Here, my dad does this for me when I have a bad dream. He says ‘the light out shines the darkness, so no bad dreams will come as long as there’s light’.”

# 

Smiling at the simple idea, Rayla nodded, “That’s a good idea Ezran.”

# 

Ez nodded back as he made his way up onto the bed, and rearranged the pillows so they were in a semi-circle around Callum. He stretched out on them and pulled the covers up. “I’m gonna sleep right here with you Callum, so my good dreams will pass onto you. Alright? And Rayla will stay close so she can fight off any bad dreams.”

# 

Exhausted, but at least calm, Callum looked at the Moonshadow elf with a tilt of his head, “You can do that?”

# 

Deciding to go with it, she smiled, “Aye, of course I can!” She pulled out a blade and tossed it in the air for a moment, “No bad dreams are getting past me. So you can go back to sleep Callum, I’m keeping guard.”

# 

With a smile, the prince nodded and lay back down on his side. The candle burned behind him and illuminated the room, driving away the shadows. Ez slept across from him with Bait in the middle, and Rayla perched on the end. With them so close, not a single nightmare came to the dragon while he slept.

# 

* * *

# 

**SL: This is the chapter I say we see ‘_Mommy Rayla’_ in. I’m not sure if it’s in character but… honestly I don’t care. She’s SO ADORABLE!**

# 

**RK: Rayla is best mum! *smacks table***

# 

**SL: Seconded!**

# 


	6. Chapter 5 – Recovering

# Chapter 5 – Recovering

****Waking up the next morning, Callum found himself tangled in a mess of blankets. He struggled to get free from them before finding Ezran beside him, drooling on top of Bait’s head. The glow toad just accepted his fate. Rayla, meanwhile, was sat in the window sill, her head lowered as she dozed, but upon hearing him, she woke up. “Oh, hey, sleep well?”

“Yes, thank you Rayla.”

“Well, you hungry? There’s plenty of food downstairs.”

He thought about the question then shook his head, “No, I’m fine.”

Guessing he was so used to being starved, the dragon could go a while without food. So, Rayla stood up and held out her hand, “Come with me, let’s go for a walk outside.”

“A walk?”

“It will do you some good, get your legs moving more.”

Looking at his legs, the dragon stood and followed her, holding her hand as he wobbled, but eventually, he made his way downstairs and out the front. 

Staying close, the assassin smiled softly at him, “You want to talk about last night?”

He looked at her then shook his head, “No…”

“Callum it might-”

“I don’t want to talk about it Rayla!” he snapped, pulling his hand away and turning his back to her.

The elf held her hands in surrender, “Okay, alright, if you don’t want to talk about it, we don’t have to.”

He glanced back, then nodded, head lowered as he gave her his hand and continued to walk. They paused when he needed a break, but Rayla was impressed he made it all the way around the building without collapsing.

As they got back to the front door, they were greeted by Ezran who smiled sleepily, “Hey guys, where’d you go?”

“For a walk around the lodge, thought it would do Callum some good.”

“Cool. Who wants some breakfast?”

“We’re alright Ez, you go ahead,” Callum smiled as he headed inside, then looked at Rayla staying in the doorway, “You coming?”

“I’m gonna go check the area, make sure no one’s come close during the night.”

He pouted at her, “But… you said you’d stay here.”

“And I will, I just need to make sure we’re still safe. If any humans find out there’s an elf and a dragon in the lodge with the human prince, we’ll be in big trouble.”

“But-”

“I’ll be back before you know it Callum, just go explore the lodge for a while okay?”

Looking downwards he nodded. “Alright,” he sighed.

“I’ll only be a few minutes,” she turned and hurried away towards the trees.

Once she was gone, Callum sank where he stood and headed inside. He could hear Ezran and Bait down in the kitchen, but he didn’t feel like joining them, so headed to explore the other rooms. Ezran had shown and told him what each room was for when they arrived, but he hadn’t had the chance to really explore them.

He poked his head through every door he came across until he found one room that had gotten his attention before; a room Ez had called ‘the study’. It was one of the smaller rooms in the lodge, with a desk similar to the one he’d seen outside his cell, but this one was cleaner and made of a lighter wood.

He prodded each thing to see if it moved, made a sound, or did something, wondering how it felt. Something that caught his attention was a strange brown thing on the side of the room, away from everything else, left alone. It had a brown top and bottom, golden lines crossing over it, and layers of strange material filling the inside.

He poked it, but it didn’t move or make a sound. He slowly picked it up and turned it over, feeling how heavy it was, and admiring the texture. He smiled as he sat down and placed it on his lap, messing with it and trying to see if it did anything.

“I’m back!” called a female voice from the other side of the lodge.

“Hey! Rayla, look what I found!” the chestnut-haired prince ran to find her, his tail wagging back and forth in excitement.

Glad to see him happy again, the elf nodded, “What you got?”

“Look!” he chuckled, holding out his hands and presenting it to her, “Isn’t it cool?”

“A book? Yeah, they’re alright.”

“A book? Is that what it’s called? I just think it looks cool.”

His innocence and confusion were both heart-warming and saddening at the same time to the elf. She looked at him, then reached out and held the book in his hands, opening it up for him. “Ah, it’s blank,” she observed, “Books normally have words or drawings in them, but this one’s blank. Must be a journal or sketch book.”

“So… what do you do with it?”

She looked over the book before noticing a slot in the back. Fiddling with it, a thin pencil came out, “Here we go! This is a pencil. You use it to draw and write with. See?” she explained, placing the tip on a page and drawing a quick line to show how it worked.

Callum’s eyes went wide as she passed him the stick. He took it and spared a moment to work out how to grasp it, but eventually, he got hold and drew a line alongside Rayla’s.

“Whoa!” he exclaimed in awe, then drew another, and another, trying different ways to create shapes. He laughed like a madman, then ran out of the room with his book and pencil, shouting out for Ezran as he went.

Rayla chuckled as she watched him go, glad to see something that had made him happy.

“Hey! Ez! Look what Rayla just showed me! It’s called a book! And this is a pencil!”

“Cool Callum, it must be one of dad’s journals,” Ez looked at it while sitting at the table with his jelly tart, “He has loads of them, always writing things down.”

Sinking and clutching the book tight, Callum looked at his human friend, “Y-you mean I can’t keep it?”

“Of course you can. I’m sure dad won’t mind. He has loads of them. He won’t miss one.”

The smile returned and Callum sat where he was, opening the book and placing it on the table. He continued to mess around with the pencil and experimented.

Meanwhile, Rayla watched the pair with a small smile, but then, felt her ribbon grip a bit tighter, and she turned away to hide her pain from them. After it calmed down, she left the room and went off to find somewhere to glare, curse, and try once more to get the damn thing off. She had no idea how it was made or what spell was keeping it in place, but she was determined to get it off without completing the assignment. Callum would never forgive her if anything happened to Ezran.

“Oh, there you are Rayla.”

She looked back and spotted the human, “Hey Ez.”

“Hey. You’ve got to come and see what Callum’s doing. It’s _amazing_.”

Wondering what this amazing thing could be, she went back to the kitchen where she’d left the dragon, and saw him still sat at the table with the pencil in hand. He was intensely doing something with that book. Ezran stood at his side and peered over his shoulder at the page, “Wow, that one’s even better than the last!”

Rayla stood on the other side and peeked over as well, looking at the page he was working on. It was covered with flowers of various shapes and styles. “Wow, Callum, those… those are incredible. Where did you see them?”

“When I was coming here,” he explained, leaning back as he finished one.

“Wait… you’re drawing this from memory?”

He smiled and nodded, “Yeah… Ez was saying that’s… hard?”

“Very. It’s a real skill. And you’re really good at it.”

“I like doing this. It makes me feel… calm.”

“Well, if it makes you feel calm, you keep going.”

He stared at her for a moment, “Can I draw you?”

A blush quickly came to her cheeks at the idea, “Y-you want to draw me?”

“If that’s okay. You have a nice face.”

She looked away and shrugged, “Umm… sure? If you want to.”

Grinning, he turned back to the book and found a new page, beginning to draw something new.

~#~

“So, I was thinking,” Rayla said as she placed the ladder against the side of the lodge, “I remember this saying, from when I was little. _A healthy sky is a healthy dragon_.”

“What does that mean?” the dragon asked, watching her.

“Well, I think it means that flying helps keep dragons healthy. So, maybe flying will help you get better?” She checked the ladder then nodded, pleased with its stability, “So, why don’t you get up there and give it a go?”

The prince stared at the ladder and felt his stomach drop, “Umm… it’s very high.”

“Nar, it’s barely a drop,” she smiled, climbing up herself to the space above the front door, “Come on, just have a look.”

Biting his lip, Callum followed her up and stood uneasily on the roof, his tail swishing back and forth for his balance. Rayla was perfectly at ease and stood right near the edge, “See, it’s not that far up.”

Looking over the edge, Callum had to agree, it wasn’t _too_ far, but he didn’t like the idea of jumping. “Rayla… do… do I have to do this?”

Her expression softened and she stepped over to him, reaching to hold his hands, “Of course not Callum. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. I will never make you do something you don’t want to do. Promise. I’m just trying to help you recover. The sooner you feel better, the sooner we can head towards Xadia.” She squeezed his hand for a moment, “Callum, you know I keep patrolling the area for danger. It’s not a case of ‘if’ they find us. It’s ‘when’. We can’t stay here forever.”

The dragon thought before sighing, his wings stretching out, “What do I do?”

Smiling at his cooperation, the elf walked up to the edge, “Just spread them wide, flap them hard, and jump!” she said before jumping off herself and landing on the ground below in a crouch, looking up at him, “I don’t have wings, so I fell, but you’ll go flying.”

Callum didn’t look sure, but he trusted Rayla, since she knew more about dragons than he did, “A-Alright… I’ll try.” His hands closed into fists and he screwed his eyes shut. He did his very best to concentrate on his wings, and soon got them to flap. Once he was sure he had enough speed, he ran to the edge of the roof and leapt just as she had done.

For a moment, he was free of the ground, his eyes opening in joy as he went up… and then, very quickly down, landing in the mud below.

Rayla winced at his crash, “Ouch… you okay Callum?”

Looking up with a mouthful of dirt and grass, the prince spat it out and glared at her, “I am _not _doing that again.” He forced himself up and headed inside.

~#~

“Eighteen… nineteen… twenty! Ready or not, here I come!” Callum called, beginning to look around. He slowly searched the room for Ezran, who was apparently hiding somewhere.

Rayla sat by a window, barely hiding her amusement at their game.

This was the fourth round of hide and seek between the two. It was Ez’s idea, another way to get Callum walking and exercising. He searched from place to place around the lodge, looking in the spots the prince had hidden in before, then methodically searching.

He laughed as he looked about, thinking of each place the human could have hidden. Eventually, he spotted a pair of shoes under a bed. He smirked and prepared himself to pounce, quickly kneeling down. “Got ya!” he laughed as he grabbed the human.

The other boy laughed as well and nodded, “Alright! Your turn to hide Callum!”

With a nod, the draconic teen hurried and ran off to find somewhere to hide as Ezran began to count. He looked around for a good spot to hide before spotting a high beam on the roof. Ez said he could hide anywhere, so… the roof wasn’t off limits. Grinning, he looked for a way up. Spotting a table near the wall, he was sure it would give him some extra height to climb up.

Heading over to it, he carefully stepped up onto the table and reached for the beam. However, as he reached up, the table rocked back and forth before toppling over, sending Callum and the table to the floor while also throwing the vase that had been decorating it to the floor with a crash.

The noise drew the others to him. They saw the broken pottery and upturned table, as well as the dragon who was rubbing his backside where he’d landed.

Rayla sighed, “Are you alright Callum?”

“That hurt,” he groaned, then turned to look at the broken vase, panic filling his eyes, “Ezran, I’m so sorry! I-I didn’t mean to break it.”

“It’s alright Callum, accidents happen,” Ezran said as he pushed the table back up and looked at the vase, “I never liked that vase anyway.”

“Come on, let’s get this cleaned up.”

Head down, ashamed of his mistake, Callum reached out for the shards and began to pick them up slowly. He paused when he heard a loud hiss and turned to see Ezran looking at his hand, pain in his expression, “Ezran?”

“It just caught my hand,” he explained, holding his hand out to reveal a small cut between his fingers, blood already trickling down between them.

The sight caused the dragon to freeze. Even his breathing stopped. Slowly, the colour from his cheeks began to drain away, and he swayed on the spot, “B-blood…”

“Callum?”

He didn’t respond to the call. His eyes stared at the blood, but his mind was somewhere else. He was back in a cold, dark cell, his wrists chained to a wall… a man drew blood from his arms. The shadow in his mind smirked as he reached out for him. Callum finally was able to breathe, “M-Master…no…no-no-no. P-p-please…” he begged, shaking his head, screwing his eyes shut, and clutching his head while tears ran down his face.

He gripped his head so hard, his nails began to bleed from the pressure. This made him think his talons were being clipped yet again and his tail curled around him. His chest got tight, he couldn’t breathe, or move, or do anything. It was happening again. He was trapped, alone, and scared. This man was going to take it from him, take everything. It was getting tighter, closing in, his head throbbing.

Beside him, Ez and Rayla were trying to get his attention, but nothing worked. He was too deep into whatever was plaguing his mind. Seeing him panic like this was horrifying, and the elf reached out for his cheek, just like she had done before, “Hey, Callum, it’s okay. Come on, calm down.”

He didn’t respond. He just curled further and further into himself, gasping for breath, but for every breath he took in, he didn’t appear to be letting any out.

Ez held his shoulder, “Callum, please, calm down, it’s okay. Y-you need to breathe. Please.”

The human’s voice didn’t reach him either. He just rocked back and forth, his whole body trembling.

Staring at him in horror, Rayla frowned a little, “Callum, if you don’t snap out of this now, I will have to slap you out of it.”

Again, he didn’t respond beyond gasps for air.

“I mean it!” she warned, raising her hand a little, “Last chance!”

A terrified whimper was his only response.

“Alright, I warned you!” Quickly, she slapped him across the face, her fingers leaving a light red mark on his cheek.

Callum froze before slowly blinking, and turning to look at the elf, “…R-Rayla?”

Bottom lip quivering, she looked away, “I… I’m sorry Callum, I just… needed you to snap out of it. You weren’t breathing and… and… I’m sorry, I didn’t want to slap you but… I couldn’t think of any other way. Please, forgive me.”

The dragon rubbed his cheek for a moment and frowned, “No…” he whispered, “Thank you for saving me from that… memory.”

“Are you feeling alright now Callum?” Ezran asked, hiding his hand behind his back in case the blood set him off again.

“My head hurts,” he groaned, “I… I just… I just…” He shook his head and ran his hand through his hair, “I’m sorry…I’m sorry about your hand… and the vase and… panicking and… and…”

“Hey, if you want to make it up to me, you could always do the jerk face dance,” Ezran interrupted with a big smile.

Rayla and Callum shared a confused look at the suggestion.

“The… jerk face dance?” Callum repeated.

“Yeah! It’s something my dad made up. It’s his way of apologising when he’s a jerk. Look, I’ll show you!” He stood up and stepped away from the vase, putting his hands under his armpits and pulling a strange, goofy face before beginning to flap his arms like wings. He stepped around in a circle with his legs out so he ‘waddled’, went around a few times, then jumped, doing ‘jazz hands’ at the end. “See, that’s the jerk face dance.”

Rayla wasn’t sure what the purpose of the dance was, but then she heard Callum laugh beside her. It was a tired sound, but an honest, happy one. “That was the funniest thing ever!” he laughed, standing up and putting his hands under his arms, “Show me again?”

Suddenly the human’s plan made sense.

Distraction.

Rayla smiled as Ezran taught Callum how to do this ‘jerk face dance’ while she quickly and quietly cleared up the broken vase, getting it out of sight. She glanced back, hearing the teen laugh, but her smile faded as she thought about the pain that memory had caused him.

* * *

**SL: Man, the angst, the cuteness, the laughs in this chapter… it’s a roller-coaster of emotions! And yes, we kept the jerk face dance!**

**RK: *looks dramatically into the distance* Emotions, emotions everywhere.**

**SL: I feel like that should be a meme…**

**RK: Dude, it kinda already is. XD**


	7. Chapter 6 – Darkness

#  Chapter 6 – Darkness

“Rayla!” Callum called, running outdoors to her, but stopped quickly when she turned around and pointed her sword at him.

The assassin blinked for a moment. “Callum!” she gasped, stepping away from him and lowering her weapon, “I’m so sorry. But… whatever you do, don’t surprise me when I’m practicing or you might lose a finger.” She smirked a little, “I mean, could you imagine going around with only four fingers?” She wiggled her four digits at him to make a point.

The point was lost on the dragon who just looked confused. “Umm… you manage?”

She shook her head and rolled her eyes with a fond smile, “You were looking for me?”

“Oh, yeah, I wanted to ask you if you’ve seen my book? The one I draw in? I can’t find it.”

“You left it by the tree over there,” she said, pointing to the tree in question.

Hurrying over, he found the book and opened it, checking the inside. The pencil was still in the slot and he took it out, sitting against the tree, and drawing with a smile. He soon got engrossed in his work.

Her practice disturbed, the Moonshadow elf decided to call it an end and walked over to him. She couldn’t help but peek at his illustration, “Wait… is that me?”

He looked up at her and beamed, turning the book to show her, “Yeah!”

“Nar, that can’t be me… you made me look far too pretty.”

His smile vanished and he stood by her side, “No way! If anything, I didn’t make it pretty _enough_! You’re far prettier than this Rayla!” He looked down at his work, “Besides, this one’s wrong.”

“Wrong?”

“Your eyes…” he said, speaking to the picture and touching her eyes on the paper, “They aren’t right. Your eyes are way better than this. But they’re always changing, I couldn’t pick a memory I liked, so I kept changing it…” he sighed in frustration and looked at her, concentrating on her eyes, “They’re so… intense. It’s hard to draw them from memory.”

“Callum-”

“Do you think I could draw you while looking at you?” he interrupted, eyes full of hope, “It would be easier if I could look at you while I did it. Please Rayla?”

She glanced away and twisted a lock of her hair around her finger. She was kind of nervous over the request, “I-”

“Pleaseeeeeeeeee~” he begged, dragging the word out.

Looking at him, she let out a breath and conceded, “Oh alright.”

“Thank you!” he exclaimed, wings spreading wide with joy and his tail wagging. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to a rock, forcing her to sit on it, and then began to turn her body and head, messing with her hair until happy with her position, “Right,” he said at last, sitting himself on the ground, book open to a new page, and ready to draw.

Rayla frowned as she was forced to model, “How long is this gonna take?”

“Rayla~” he groaned, “Don’t move.”

“But…”

“You’re moving!”

Deciding to humour him, the elf sat as still as she could, waiting as the dragon did his drawing. About fifteen minutes had passed before he appeared to be satisfied, “Yeah, that’s it! Perfect!”

“Can I move now?”

“Yep. I’m done.”

Stretching, she groaned and walked over, “Alright if I have a look?” The prince smiled and passed her the book.

Instantly, she saw what he meant about the previous drawing being wrong. This one was beautiful! It put the previous image to shame to the point where she couldn’t believe she was looking at herself.

There were two sides to the drawing, one showed a full-body image of her sitting on the rock, her hands folded delicately on her lap, and her whole outfit frozen perfectly in time. Every part of it was detailed and clear, and she couldn’t stop looking up and down the entire page. She was smiling, and had a likeness in the page she didn’t know how he’d captured.

The other page only had her from the shoulders up, a small smile on her lips, and eyes looking off into the distance as he’d positioned her. Her hair shone even with only charcoal as colour, and her eyes were indescribable. They looked… enchanted.

As she looked at the picture, she leaned on the tree behind him and slid down to sit on the ground, unable to take her eyes off the image. “Callum… you… you are amazingly talented.”

“I only draw what I see Rayla,” he explained, leaning over and resting his head on her shoulder, “That’s… just how you look to me.”

Finally able to look away from it, the elf smiled at him, “I… I had no idea.”

He smiled back, closing his eyes for a bit.

As he rested, Rayla flipped through his book, finding a few flowers, pictures of Bait and Ezran, and a few smaller, rougher sketches of herself. There were images of trees, fruit, and even the lodge itself. There were multiple sketches of the rooms and outside the building. Almost half of the book was already filled with his drawings.

As she tried to work out how far he’d gotten, she spotted something towards the back, a drawing that seemed out of place. The pages before and after it were blank, but there was something. Slowly going through, she found the image and instantly wished she hadn’t.

It was her again, but this time she was lying on the ground, her head turned away and eyes closed. A dark mark ran down her face, blood frozen in the charcoal.

Above her was a man she didn’t recognise, but she could guess. He stood over her, a staff in hand as he raised it above his head, ready to bring it down on her. The detail on this man was sharp and clear, a face seared into Callum’s memory from years of him being the only person he saw.

Unlike his other pictures, this one had a background behind the two people, showing the room they had found him in. The jars of remains were the same as when she’d walked past them a few days ago. He had captured the detail of every one, recreating the view from his prison.

At the front of the image, were two hands, reaching out towards them. She could almost hear him screaming from the way they reached for her, but unable to save her. The hint of chains peeked out around the base of the page.

Glancing at the teen resting on her shoulder, she closed the book and placed it in his arms, wishing she could change the blood ribbon’s target from Ezran, to that monster.

“If I ever meet him Callum, I’ll kill him. I swear to you.”

~#~

The sound of Ezran’s laughter outside was evidence enough to Rayla that there was no danger heading to the lodge. So, she sighed and rubbed her wrist, unsure how much longer she could hide it from the others. Her hand was starting to turn a dark, purple hue. They would begin to notice soon.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she looked for something to keep her mind off it. Then, she spotted a tail swaying back and forth across the floor. Slowly, knowing how jumpy he could be, she approached the tail, peeking around to see the prince sitting in the corner and licking something in his hand.

“What-” she started, but the dragon quickly turned away from her, hiding his arm by his side.

Rayla frowned, “Callum, what are you doing?”

“Nothing,” he muttered, still hiding his hand and turning away from her.

“I can tell you were doing something,” she countered, hand on her hip, “Come on, show me.”

Glancing at her, and then away, the dragon finally bit his lower lip and slowly pulled his hand out from where he’d been hiding it. Forcing back a gasp, the elf realised he hadn’t been licking something _in_ his hand. He’d been licking _at _his hand.

The raw, chafed skin was clearly still sore and red from his imprisonment, small cuts covering his skin.

“Oh…Callum.”

“It… it started hurting when I was drawing but… it hurts less when I lick them.”

Mentally kicking herself for not thinking about it sooner, Rayla sighed, “Come with me.” Taking his hand as gently as she dared, she led him upstairs to his room, “Sit down, and take your shirt and boots off. I’ll be right back.”

Despite being confused over why he was here in the middle of the day, Callum did as he was told and sat down. He pulled his shirt and boots off, hissing at each painful throb.

The dragon sat on the bed for a while, watching the door for Rayla’s return, but all that came back was the itch on his arm, so he brought it up to lick it clean once more.

“Callum, that won’t help them heal.”

He looked up mid lick to see Rayla with a bowl in her arms and a bag over her shoulder, “I knew the humans would have one somewhere,” she explained, then placed the bowl on the floor, and the bag on the bed, “I’m sorry I didn’t do this earlier for you. But let’s get you sorted out now.” She reached into the bag and searched for something before pulling out a cloth, then dipping it into the water until it was damp. “I’ve been so caught up in making sure this place was safe and… I just forgot you were hurt.”

“I don’t mind. I’m used to it.”

Taking his hand gently in hers, Rayla looked over the scales and skin, the raw flesh that had spent years locked away. It almost brought tears to her eyes, “No one should be used to this,” she whispered, taking a moment to pull herself together and exhaling, “This will sting a little.” She warned him before placing the damp cloth on his arm.

He flinched and his tail slapped against the floor at the pain, but he didn’t pull away.

For a bit, Rayla sat and cleaned his wounds, removing the dirt and dried blood. The dragon only hissed a few times as she tended to him. Once satisfied that it was clean, she reached into the bag once more for a roll of something and slowly began wrapping up the cuts.

“W-what is that for?”

“To stop you from licking them,” she explained as she tied it off.

“Is licking them bad?”

“It won’t help them get better.”

“Oh,” he looked at his arm before frowning, “It… it doesn’t hurt now.”

“Yeah, that’s the idea. Now, let me do your other arm.”

Still looking at his arm, the teen smiled to himself and nodded, “You’re really kind Rayla.”

Concentrating on her task, she blushed a little. “Thanks,” she replied as she cleaned the wound on his arm, “Listen, Callum… I was thinking.”

“About?”

“Ezran,” she said, listening quickly to see if the human was near, but it sounded like he was still outside with Bait. “See, I was thinking… that it’s going to be a long journey to Xadia… and it’s going to be dangerous… and I will keep you safe but…” she looked at the prince, “I’m worried about him. I’m not sure… I’ll be able to keep you, him, _and_ Bait safe.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think… it might be safer if… Ez and Bait don’t… come with us.”

Quickly, the prince pulled his arm away from her, hiding it, “No! No, they come with us! I won’t leave them!”

“But…”

“NO! They come or I don’t go!”

Staring at him, the elf shook her head and sighed, “Alright, alright, they can come.”

“And you will keep them safe?”

“And I will keep them safe.” She held out her hand and smiled, “Now, can I have your arm back so I can finish?”

With a nod, he gave his arm back to her and allowed her to clean the wounds. It didn’t take long before she wrapped it up in another bandage and moved on to his ankles. They were silent for a bit as she worked and Callum watched. He shifted a little on the edge of the bed, “My arms really do feel better now.”

“Told ya.”

“D-do you think you can do this for my wings?” he asked shyly.

“Your wings?”

“T-they… they hurt too.”

Having finished his ankles, the female nodded and stood, “I don’t know much about dragon wings but… let me have a look. Turn around.”

He did just that, showing the silvery blue wings and the range of dark marks that seemed to cover them. Some showed gashes and old scars, but some were lighter, newer wounds.

She swallowed her regret, then nodded, “Try and keep still.” Rayla took a gentle hold with one hand and the other began to wipe the dirt away, careful of the bruises. “Shame we don’t have any Batter Berries.”

“Batter Berries?”

“Yeah, they grow in Xadia. They’re great for when you get ‘battered’. Do a really good job healing bruises. Used them all the time when I was younger. Mash them up into a paste, put them on a bruise, and in a few hours, you’re as good as new.”

“D-did you need them often?” he stammered, trying to keep his mind on the conversation and not the pain in his back.

“Training to be an assassin, you get battered pretty good.”

“It must be nice… to know how to protect yourself,” he said, then hissed when she touched one of the fresher marks, but he kept as still as he could. Callum tried his best to hide the pain, keeping his face turned away from her.

Moving her hand from his wing to his shoulder, she stepped a little closer, “Callum, look at me.”

Slowly, he shifted his gaze to her, a haunted, distant look in them, similar to the terror from his nightmare.

She moved around to face him and cupped his cheek, rubbing it gently, “No one will ever, ever hurt you like this again. You understand?”

“But…”

“No buts. You are a prince, the Dragon Prince. And no one will ever hurt you again. I’ll make sure of it.”

He looked at her with fondness in his eyes before sighing deeply, “Rayla… I… I… I don’t want to feel… helpless again.”

“And you never will. Callum, no one can make you feel helpless ever again. You have to believe that. You don’t have to do what anyone tells you. Never again. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Understand?”

“I… I think so.”

“Good,” she let go of his face and moved to his back once more, gently cleaning the wings. When she finished, she backed away, “How does that feel?”

“Better,” he sighed, his wings moving back and forth slightly, “It… feels better. Thank you Rayla.”

She smiled back at him, “You’re welcome.”

“You’re really pretty when you smile,” he tilted his head a little to the side.

Her face dropped as a blush came to her cheeks, “Umm… thanks.”

“I like it when you smile.” Stepping towards her, he looked at her with an innocent smile of his own, “It makes me happy to see you smile Rayla. Wait… your face is turning red. Are you alright?”

She stared at him before laughing and pushing him away playfully, “Get back you big lizard, and get dressed.” She shook her head as she took the bowl and medical supplies away, wanting to quickly get away from the teen.

Once she was gone, the boy put his shirt back on, but left his gloves and cloak off. He let his wings move freely before heading off to see if he could find his friends. Rayla had disappeared somewhere, but Ezran was in the main room, sitting on the floor with Bait as they played with some toys.

“Hey Callum, where’d you go?”

“Rayla was… bandaging, I think she called it?” he said, holding up his arm to show her work, “Apparently it will help?”

“Yeah, bandaging helps wounds get better.”

“She caught me licking them,” he sat down and picked up a toy from the floor, “Not… good?”

“Nope,” the human chuckled, “Hey, come look at this thing Bait found!” Ez pulled out a small, hand-sized cube that was stored in a coppery, metal chest. Strange symbols marked each side, “I dunno what it is, but watch this.”

He held it towards the glow toad and one side suddenly started to glow a bright golden colour. Callum’s jaw dropped at the sight, “Wow. How did you do that?”

“I dunno, it just does that.”

“Let me see it?” he begged, holding his hands out for the box. As Ezran passed it over, another side began to glow, “Wow!” Callum gasped in amazement, moving the box away then closer to himself, “W-what does that mean?”

“Maybe… because you’re a dragon?”

“I wonder if it works on Rayla?” he pondered, standing up and looking around for her, “Rayla! Rayla! Come see what we found!”

It took a moment, but the elf appeared as she always did when Callum called, “Callum? What is it? Are you alright?”

“Yeah, but look at this!” he said, holding out the glowing cube, “See? It glows! And it glows on this side when it’s near Bait… and this side near me… but doesn’t for Ez. Do you know what it is?”

The assassin frowned, looking confused by it. She took the cube and watched as another side lit up, “Well, I dunno what it is… or why it’s… glowing… but these marks are the primal sources.”

“Primal what?” Ez asked, confused.

Rolling her eyes, Rayla turned to the dragon, “You still got that book?”

Picking it up from where he’d left it, he passed it over to her, watching as she went to the table and opened it to a random page, drawing quickly. “See, these are the primal sources. All magic in the world comes from these six Primal Sources. They’re the original and purest forms of magical energy.” She turned to the Dragon Prince who was staring amazed at her work. “I can’t tell if you’re impressed by the idea, or by my drawing.”

Callum looked sheepishly at her, “Umm… both?”

Rolling her eyes, the elf pointed to each mark on the page, “This is the Sun…”

“That one glowed when it was near Bait!” Ez interrupted, matching the symbol.

“This is the Stars, the Earth, the Ocean, the Moon…”

“That one’s you!”

“And the Sky.” She ignored the human and held the box towards the dragon, “Which is you Callum; a sky dragon.”

Taking the box, he stared at it in amazement, then at her, “Does this mean… I can do magic?”

“Yes, all dragons can do magic. It’s a part of you.”

The expression of amazement on his face soon turned to one of horror. He dropped the box, letting it clatter to the floor, “No. No, never.”

“Callum?”

“No!” he shouted, then ran off, bolting outside.

Rayla and Ez looked at each other before heading out to follow him. They found him sat under a tree, knees up to his chest, wings around him, and tail pulled close to his body, only the tip moving as they heard sobs coming from the boy.

The two knelt at his side, trying to see him, but his wings were obscuring.

“Callum?” Ez asked softly, “Callum what’s wrong? Talk to us Callum.”

There was no reply, just more sobs.

“Callum, come on, tell us what’s wrong. Maybe we can help?”

“No… you can’t.”

“Why can’t we?”

“C-cause… ‘cause.” came his voice, his tail pulling even closer, “Because.”

“Because what?”

“I’m magic. A-and… and magic is evil.”

The pair looked at each other, and Rayla reached out for him, but as soon as she touched him, he pulled away, “Don’t touch me! I… I’m bad.”

“No you’re not Callum. You’re good.”

“Says who?”

“We do. And aren’t we the ones that matter?”

“If I’m so good, why did Master take so much from me to use for dark magic? He-he took… he took everything… for his magic. What he took from me… was dark magic. S-So I must be dark.”

Rayla stared at him. She thought he was cowering away, hiding from them because he was afraid, but he was really trying to isolate himself from them, keeping them away from his ‘darkness’. She let out a deep breath and looked for something she could hold before spotting his tail, which was still moving. Reaching out for it, she gently stroked the hairs at the end.

“Callum… what that man did… was not magic. It was an atrocity. To use a living thing… to use you… was evil. But you are far from that. You are the purest, kindest, and sweetest boy I’ve ever met. The way you light up and smile… it’s heart-warming.”

“Yeah!” Ez added, “You’re really strong Callum. I mean… you were locked up for ten years… and yet look at you now! You’re running, laughing…”

“You’re free Callum,” Rayla finished, still stroking the hair on his tail, “Look, think about this; if a sword kills someone, is the sword evil?”

The question made his wings flicker a little, “I… I don’t know.”

“Okay… how about if someone… gets hurt by a bee, is the bee evil?”

“N-no?”

“So, if someone takes… say a pencil… and uses it to write something mean… is the pencil, or the person it belonged to evil?”

The wings parted a little to reveal his teary eyes, “N-no… it-it’s the person… that uses it?”

“Yes. And it’s the same with you. Just because something that belongs to you was used to do a bad thing does not make you a bad person.”

He blinked and looked up to the sky, frowning as he thought, “But… I’m still… magic.”

“Yes, you are. And when you get stronger, you will understand that magic isn’t bad. It’s the way it is used that defines good and bad. Primal magic is the magic that is created by life and everything living. It was never meant to be used by death.”

Callum looked at her, then smiled a little, “You’re really smart Rayla.”

“Nar, I’m just telling you what anyone would,” she chuckled, still messing with his tail that had since moved to her lap, “You’re not a bad person Callum. Bad things just happened to you.”

The prince thought for a bit then frowned, “Bad… bad things are happening to others… right? This… this war you talked about. People… people are being hurt… and dying?”

“Yes,” she sighed, messing with his fur absentmindedly, “Yeah, people are getting hurt and dying…Why?”

“I… I don’t want anyone else to get hurt… and if I can stop it… I want to.” He turned to her with determination in his eyes, “I’m gonna stop the war. I’m going to… to… help others… like you’ve helped me.”

Smiling at this change, Rayla nodded, “Once you’re ready to go, we will head off.”

“Together?” he asked, glancing at Ezran.

The human looked hopeful, as if he knew about their previous conversation, about leaving him. But Rayla just smiled, “Yes, together.”

“When?”

She thought for a moment, “If we spend tomorrow getting ready… we can leave the day after that.”

“But, Callum’s only had three days to recover,” Ezran protested, “Doesn’t he need longer?”

“I’m fine Ez,” the dragon said as he pulled his tail free from Rayla’s grasp. He looked at it, noticing she’d braided some of his fur into the same style as her hair, “I have you two to look after me. And I _did_ just run all the way here. I’m feeling much stronger.”

“Then it’s agreed. Tomorrow we pack, and then the day after, we head off for Xadia.”

“Alright! Let’s do this!”

Callum smiled, then stared ominously towards the west, knowing his ‘master’ was still out there somewhere.

* * *

**SL: So, we get to see Callum being a sweetie pie and a nervous wreck in this chapter. Still, got to love him. **

**RK: Smol bean. Must protecc.**

**SL: Ray is such a proud mamma XD**

* * *

**SL: Also, Ray is having a bit of a tough time at the moment. She needs a lot of love. Please give it to her on[ her DeviantART account](https://www.deviantart.com/ray-ken/journal/Heyo-826224498)! **


	8. Chapter 7 – Sky Dragon

# Chapter 7 – Sky Dragon

Now with a plan of action, they set to work the next day. They searched the whole lodge for anything they thought they would need, and packed it into one of two backpacks, the smaller one or the larger one.

Callum managed to find a belt that went through the spine of his book and fashioned it into a strap, enabling him to carry the book wherever he went and stop the risk of losing it.

It took most of the day to find and complete everything they needed, but as they sat down for one last meal in the lodge, there was a sudden noise against the window. Everyone looked to see trails of water running down the glass and more water soaking the ground outside.

Rayla sighed, returning to her meal, “Glad we aren’t out in this.”

“Yeah, soggy is not my style,” Ez chuckled as he bit into his sandwich.

Callum, however, just stared out the glass, “W-what is it?”

“Umm, rain?”

“Rain?”

“Yeah, you know, water that falls from the sky?” Ezran explained.

Callum kept staring before standing up from his seat, and going out the kitchen’s back door. He opened it and watched, blinking when he felt water splashing against his face. “Rain?” he repeated once more, reaching out his hand to catch some water, feeling it splash against his skin.

Rayla and Ezran just stared at his back, confused by his interest in the rain.

Before either of them could stop him, he ran out into the dark storm, away from the lodge. They could still see him from the window, watching as he walked through the water droplets, and like he had when he first saw the sun, closed his eyes, letting the feeling embrace him.

Inside, Rayla blinked. “He’s never seen the rain before,” she realised, then pulled her hood up and headed for the door. The elf joined him outside, “Callum, Callum are you alright?”

He turned to her, water already soaking through his clothes and hair, yet, he smiled. “It’s raining Rayla!” he laughed, then looked around for a puddle of water on the ground, wasting no time jumping into it with both feet. The water splashed up and over his trousers, soaking the fabric.

The elf frowned, “Callum, come inside, you shouldn’t be out here, you’ll get sick.”

He ignored her, finding another puddle and splashing around in it as well. He let out a whoop as he ran from puddle to puddle, splashing around, kicking the water when he could and laughing.

“Cal-” she started before pausing, watching him closer.

There was a spark.

A literal spark of lightning crackled around him, concentrating on his arm. Another formed, then another, and another, more electricity beginning to run over his body as he laughed and played in the rain. He didn’t seem to care about or even notice it, just going from puddle to puddle.

The elf took a step back, wondering what this could be. In the darkness, it was easy to see the lightning as it continued to collect around him.

Callum turned and ran a little further away from the lodge until he found a much larger puddle, bigger than any of the others. He ran up to it and jumped as high as he could, wings spreading wide as he cheered.

“Fulminis!”

Suddenly, all of the lightning that had been gathering around him, shot up through his body and into the sky, lighting it up in a dramatic and glorious display. It was over in a second as the lightening vanished, but Callum just stood in his puddle, staring up at the sky. He turned to Rayla and pointed upwards, “Rayla! Did you see that?!”

“Yeah, now get back inside you stupid lizard, before you catch a cold!”

Running to her side, he bounced on the spot, “Did I do that? Did I do that lightning?”

“Yes you did, now get inside!” the elf scolded as she grabbed his shoulder, pulling him in and shutting the door behind them, “Honestly, you’re soaked, and we don’t even have a spare change of clothes for you.”

Once inside, Callum realised she was right. He was dripping with water, and now that he thought about it, his feet were very uncomfortable. The feeling of water dripping off his hair onto his nose was also annoying. Trying to remove the irritation, he leaned forward and shook his body side to side, sending the water flying off him.

Sadly, Rayla hadn’t moved from his side, so she ended up taking the full force of the water droplets. “Ah! Callum!” she shrieked, now feeling undoubtedly soaked.

Ezran, who had stayed inside the whole time, giggled at her distress, but then kindly offered her a cloth to dry off with, “I hope no one saw that lightning,” he said casually.

~#~

The next morning, Ezran walked out to the front of the lodge to watch the birds while Rayla and Callum finished packing inside. He heard the sound of horses approaching and looked up to see a group of around ten people riding towards the lodge, “Oh no,” he whispered, wondering if he should head back inside to warn the others, or try and stall the new arrivals.

The choice was made when they pulled up in front of him and two riders climbed down, removing helmets, and one revealing a familiar face. “Aunt Amaya?” he asked, confused.

His aunt hurried over and quickly swept her nephew up into a hug. Once done, she stepped back and began to move her hands, the man behind her watching and translating. “It’s good to see you Ez. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

“Yeah,” Ez gasped from her tight hug, “But… what are you doing here?”

“We were on our way to the castle. King Harrow has sent for me and my Battalion, but last night, we saw some strange lightning and decided to detour here to investigate.” She smiled brightly at him, “I wasn’t expecting to find my favourite nephew here. But I’m quite surprised to see you out here alone. Surely your father sent someone to protect you?”

“Umm, yeah, he did. He sent a load of guards with me but~ they had to go back to the castle.”

Amaya frowned as she signed urgently, “So, you’re here alone?”

“Ah… no… I’m here with… Callum,” he said, deciding Callum was a more normal name than ‘Rayla’. “He’s… the lodge keeper.”

The general looked back at the lodge before marching inside, looking around the room. She turned and signed to her translator, “Where is this ‘lodge keeper’ Ezran?”

Panicking, the human thought for a moment. He’d last seen Callum in the kitchen so… “I saw him in the study a few minutes ago.”

With a nod, the woman marched up the stairs, her translator following. Fortunately, the other guards were staying outside, but that would also mean there was no way for the others to escape the building. He hoped he could buy them some time, but he didn’t know how they’d get out of this one.

If Amaya found out there was an elf and a dragon in the lodge, she’d probably kill them both before anyone had a chance to talk things out. Years on the breach fighting elves, it hadn’t made her welcoming towards them.

“Ezran, there is no one up here,” came the translator’s voice as he returned downstairs.

Acting innocent, Ezran scratched his head, “Oh? I wonder where he went.”

“Ezran? Is that you?” came another voice from the door into the kitchen.

The general walked towards the door and quickly pushed it open. Ezran prepared himself for the moment she saw the dragon, but oddly, Amaya just stood and signed calmly. “Are you the lodge keeper Callum?” Gren asked.

“Umm, yes, that’s me. I’m Callum.”

Gren signed for a moment, and as he did, Ezran carefully peeked between the door and his aunt, realising at once why Amaya wasn’t attacking and why the translator was signing for ‘the lodge keeper’ as well. Callum had his cloak on with the scarf pulled over his mouth, and the hood over his horns. All that could really be seen were his eyes, and he was too far away for them to notice they were reptilian in nature.

Deciding to play along, Ez pushed past, “Callum, this is my Aunt Amaya, the one I was telling you about.”

Confused, since she had never been mentioned, Callum froze, “Ah…”

“You know, _the general of the Breach_?”

“We were on our way to the capital when we saw strange lightning last night.”

“Well… there was a storm,” Callum said, trying to remain calm as he looked over the two armed and armoured humans. Until that moment, his only human interactions had been Ezran, his former master, and his master’s daughter. It was two very bad experiences, and one very good experience, so he was still cautious around the species.

“Yes, we noticed the storm, however, this lightning went _up into_ the sky, not _down from_ it,” Amaya signed as she walked to the table and sat down, noticing the three plates of food that had been prepared. “Is there someone else here?” she asked.

Callum backed off a little, “Umm… no. That third plate is for… Bait!” he almost shouted, glad to have thought of an excuse. “Bait is… is a hungry little toad.”

Amaya paused, but then nodded, “Yes, that he is. Tell me Callum, why do you have your face covered like that? Would you please remove your scarf?”

Pulling the scarf up a little more, just in case, he looked away from her, “Umm… well I…”

“Amaya!” Ez called, waving his hand to get her attention before beginning to sign, a little slower than Gren or Amaya herself, since he wasn’t perfect at sign language, but knew enough to get his message across.

Amaya suddenly tensed and blinked before looking at Callum, “My apologies, I didn’t mean to offend. I am deaf and need to see lips to know what people are saying to me. I did not know about your… condition.”

Wondering what Ezran had told her, Callum just nodded, “It’s alright. N-no harm done. Umm, if you will excuse me I need to… go pick some berries!” he blurted, then headed for the side door to leave as fast as he could.

Left alone, Amaya looked at her nephew, “He is… odd,” she signed, Gren translating. His tone showed he agreed with her.

“He’s nice. I like him,” Ezran said as he picked up his plate and began to eat, trying to act normal, “So, now that you can see I’m safe, you’ll be heading to the capital?”

“If it’s alright, we’d like to stay a while,” she requested, “The storm last night washed away a lot of our supplies and we could do with some time to get back in order.”

“Umm… how long is ‘some time’?”

“We’ll probably leave tomorrow. Besides, it will give me a chance to catch up with my favourite nephew.” She smiled kindly and ruffled his hair, “And I would like to get to know this ‘Callum’ a bit more, make sure he’s suitable to look after you.”

Ez stared at her, then thickly swallowed a mouthful of food.

~#~

Amaya and her troops soon set up camp at the front of the lodge, and a patrol scouted around the building, but mostly stayed outside to recover the damage the rain had caused.

Despite Amaya’s best efforts, Callum had managed to avoid being caught for another conversation with the general, making good use of their time playing hide and seek. He kept making sure he was seen around the lodge, but never close enough to speak to.

Ezran tried to get close, but someone was always close to him. Just as the day began to draw to an end, there was a sudden racket from outside, and all of the guards hurried to see what was going on. Ezran hurried as well, but felt someone grab his arm and pull him behind a chair.

“Ezran, it’s me,” Callum whispered, kneeling down to hide, “Rayla untied the horses outside to give us a moment to talk.”

“Is she okay?”

“She’s staying hidden… _somewhere._ I don’t know where, but she talked to me while I was outside. She told me to pass on a message,” he explained, checking to make sure no one had come back yet, “She says we need to leave when it gets dark. The bags are packed and she got them out before the others arrived. She said she’ll come get us when it’s dark and we’ll head out the back before any of them spot us.”

“But… what about Amaya?”

“I-I don’t know,” he whispered, “But Rayla said we need to leave tonight.”

Thinking it over, the other boy nodded, “Alright.”

“She said I’m to stay away from everyone if I can help it.”

“Right.” Ez nodded then held his friend’s shoulder, “Stay safe Callum.”

He smiled and pulled his scarf up once more, quickly hurrying for the kitchen as Amaya came back in. The general frowned, then signed to her translator. Ez managed to make out the words ‘danger’ and ‘trap’.

As he watched his aunt, he thought about what he was going to do, and decided to head to the study. After rummaging around in the drawers, he found a pen and paper and wrote a letter, rolling it up and sealing it. He smiled as he put it in his pocket to keep it safe.

The rest of the day passed, pretty eventless. However, Amaya did ask to speak to Callum again, but Ezran managed to find the excuse that he was busy in the washroom, taking some time to relax and get cleaned up.

Once the night arrived, the general herself took him to bed and tucked him in, smiling softly as she did. ‘_I have decided to stay here,’ _she signed, keeping it slow and steady so he could understand. ‘_The others will go to the palace, tell the king where I am. But I want to stay and keep you safe.’_

“But I have Callum?”

_I do not trust him. He’s hiding something._

Ez looked at Bait in his arms, then sighed, “He’s nice.”

_‘Nice can often hide danger Ez,’ _the general said with a slight frown, but then hid it and smiled, leaning over and kissing his brow. ‘_Don’t worry, I’m here and you’re safe. Now go to sleep.’_

“Aunt Amaya?” he asked, reaching out and holding her hand to get her attention, “I…I just wanted to say…” he paused, and contemplated his next move, “Thank you. For… everything.”

She frowned at his odd words, but nodded. ‘_Goodnight,’ _she signed before heading out, closing the door behind her. For an hour, Ezran just sat in his bed with his blanket draped over him, and looked at the letter he’d written.

All of a sudden, there was a subtle knock at the window, and he quickly hurried out of bed and pulled the curtains away to see Rayla kneeling outside. Opening the window, he looked at her, “Rayla.”

“Come on, we need to go. I already got Callum out, now it’s your turn.” She glanced out over the grounds, “But we have to go _now_. The guards will be back any second!”

Nodding, Ezran ran back to the bed and grabbed Bait before picking up his letter and placing it on the pillow. Glow toad in arms, he ran over to Rayla and climbed out onto the roof. Quickly, the elf wrapped an arm around him, “Hold tight,” she whispered, then checked once more before quickly jumping down. She put Ez on the ground and sprinted with him to the trees.

Callum was waiting for them with the bags by his feet, his hood still up. “Ezran!” he whispered, glad to see him safe.

“Come on you two, we need to go. Now.” Rayla whispered back, crouching down as a guard passed around the lodge, “I found a boat by the river. We can use it to get out of here.”

Together, they grabbed a bag each and headed for the river behind the lodge. The boat sat, tied to the dock, and hastily, they put the bags in first. Ezran and Bait got in before Rayla climbed in too, holding out her hand to help the dragon in. Callum was a little unsteady as he put one foot in the boat and felt it rock under him, so his wings spread out to help as a counter-balance while he climbed aboard.

“Wait… what the…” came a voice from behind them, and the group turned quickly in time to see two guards with a torch, staring at them.

For a heartbeat, no one moved, but then Bait croaked and the guards ran forward. “Dragon!” one shouted as he drew his blade.

Terrified, Callum did what he normally did when scared, and wrapped his tail around himself and Ez.

The guards soon spotted the third party on the boat, and froze, “They’re kidnapping the prince!” they shouted again, attacking with a new found determination.

Rayla looked back as Callum realised he was making the situation worse. He let go of Ez, but it was too late, the alarm was raised and the battalion was on their tail. Archers began taking aim and firing. Callum threw himself over Ez to protect him while Rayla sliced the arrows down in mid-air.

As the others took aim once more, Rayla took her blade to the mooring and sliced it away. The rain made the current stronger as it quickly pulled them from the bank, downstream. She kept standing at the edge and glared back at the guards as they stood on the bank, their general giving them orders, but the boat was soon too far away.

As they disappeared into the night, Callum sank in his seat, “I’m sorry… this is all my fault. If I hadn’t lost my balance…”

“They still would have spotted us,” Rayla explained, turning to face him, “Those guards were going to see us, no matter what.”

“But if I didn’t grab Ez…”

“They were shooting arrows at us Cal. You were keeping him safe.”

“But…”

“Callum, we got out of there, none of us are hurt, we have our supplies, and we are heading in the right direction to Xadia.”

“But… if I hadn’t let out that lightning last night… they never would have even _come_ to the lodge.”

That they couldn’t argue against, so Ezran just shifted around, “How did you even do that? The lightning.”

“I don’t know,” he confessed with a shrug, “I… I was just… so happy. The rain it… it made me feel good and… then I said something and then the lightning just ran through me.”

“Did it hurt?”

“No. It… it felt… good. Like when Rayla scratches my ears.”

Rayla smiled at his comparison, “Fulminis. That’s what you said.”

“Fulminis?”

“It’s draconic. It means lightning. It’s a part of magic.” She moved towards them, reaching into one of the bags and pulling out the storm orb.

“You see, for every living creature, there are rules. Humans aren’t meant to be able to do magic. They don’t have an Arcanum.”

“What’s an Arcanum?” Callum interrupted.

“Let me speak and I’ll tell you,” she chuckled, “Anyway, an Arcanum is a bond, something deep inside you that links you to a primal source.”

“Ooo! Like the box!” Callum exclaimed, pulling it from his bag and holding it towards the orb. The storm symbol glowed as he did.

Rayla rolled her eyes, “Yes, like the box. See, this-” she held up the orb, “Is a primal stone. Within this stone is a storm, trapped forever in the glass. They are very rare and very powerful. It’s a way humans can do magic, by being linked to a source like this.”

“Wow!” Ezran thought about this while they floated along with the current, “What about you Rayla? Can you do magic?”

“Elves have a connection to an Arcanum, but it’s our choice if we decide to learn magic. I never saw the appeal myself so… I only have my natural skills.”

“Like what?”

“Well, when the moon is full, all Moonshadow elves are filled with the power of the moon. We can change our forms to one that’s as dark as the shadows, practically invisible to anyone with normal eyes.” She smirked, “I was able to do it the day we met. Shame you never saw, you’d have been super impressed.”

“Can you do it now?” Callum asked eagerly.

“Not now you silly lizard; I need a full moon.”

He looked up at the night sky, “Isn’t that one full?”

“Nope, that’s a half. You got about fifteen more days before I can change again.”

“Will you show us then?”

She rolled her eyes with a fond smile, “Alright, I’ll show you then.”

“So… why didn’t you learn magic?” Ezran asked.

“Some have a naturally stronger bond and find it easy, but others can take years to learn even the simplest spells. I never had the patience to learn the words and the runes.”

“Runes?”

“When you said ‘Fulminis’ that was part of a spell. If a sky mage… that’s an elf who knows sky magic, wanted to cast the lightning spell, he would need to combine the draconian word with a rune. It’s like a… word that is written. They draw it in the air, or on paper, or… well, however they need to.”

Callum thought back, and glanced at the orb in her hand, “That human… the one that… tried to stop us.” He winced a little at the memory, “She drew something.”

“Yes Callum,” Rayla sighed, her voice softer, having not intended to bring back the memory, “That’s a rune.”

“But… I didn’t do that when I made the lightning.”

Glad to move on, Rayla nodded, “Draconian magic is different. See, dragons like you are much stronger than elves. Your bond to the six sources is a part of your very being.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Dragons can shift remember? You can change forms,” Rayla explained, watching him light up, “Dragons are the only ones that can do that. I hear some elf mages can change half, or parts of their body, but not like dragons can.”

“I can?!…How?!”

She shook her head, “Well… I don’t know. I never studied draconian magic so… I don’t know how it works. But I know you aren’t strong enough yet Callum, it takes a lot of power to shift.”

“So… I can change forms… and I don’t need a rune?”

“Nope. Magic is so powerful within dragons that you can call on it with the words,” she smiled, “You will only be able to do sky magic, since you’re a sky dragon, but you will be able to do it much better and more powerful than any mage.”

Callum blinked, then looked down at his hand, swallowing softly before holding it out. He concentrated on the idea of lightning. After a moment, he spoke, “Fulminis.” Nothing. He frowned at his hand, “Fulminis,” he said a little louder, “Fulminis!” This time he shouted.

Nothing happened, and he sat back, pouting in disappointment.

Rayla however, was beaming. “I’m proud of you Callum. A few days ago, you were terrified of magic. Now look at you; trying to do it.”

His frown turned into a smile, and he leaned back in the boat, staring at his hand like it would suddenly do the magic he commanded.

~#~

Back at the lodge, Amaya glared after the boat, unable to believe what she had just seen; the ‘lodge keeper’ was a dragon and he had helped kidnap the prince. She turned to her translator, “If they realise we followed them, they will kill the prince. We need to be careful.” She turned, “Corvus!”

At the call, a man with dark brown, braided hair tied back in a bun, came forward.

“Track them, but stay out of sight. And when you get the chance, kill the elf and the dragon, and get my sister’s son back!” Her hands became fast, sharp, as if shouting.

He nodded and turned to head down the river. Meanwhile, Amaya turned to the others of her group, “The rest of you, pack up. We need to get out of here, now.”

In their rush to leave, none of them went to the prince’s room, and none of them saw the letter he had left for them. It sat on the bed, its message remaining unseen.

* * *

**SL: Okay, so we may have changed the rules of magic a little bit for our AU… but when you think about it, does anyone every really talk about how magic works in the show?**


	9. Chapter 8 - Lies

# Chapter 8 – Lies

In the boat, Ezran yawned as he sat up from where he’d fallen asleep, against the dragon’s leg, “Guys? I had a weird dream.”

“No Ez, that was real,” Callum sighed.

“Are you sure?” Ezran frowned as he rubbed his eyes, “There was this giant pink hippopotamus and I pulled its ear off. Because it was made of taffy.”

The dragon and elf looked at each other, “Uh no. That that was a dream. I thought you meant leaving the lodge, and being fired at, and the boat.”

“Then I tried to thank the hippo for the taffy, but he couldn’t hear me, because I was eating his ears,” the human continued, ignoring him for a moment before chuckling.

Rayla snickered at him, then gasped as the boat rocked slightly to the side with the current. Callum frowned as he watched her.

“Rayla? Are you alright?”

“Yeah Callum, I just _love_ boats.”

“Really? Because you don’t look like you love boats.”

“It’s called sarcasm dummy,” she groaned as she knelt inside of the boat to hide from the water, “It’s when you say one thing but mean something else.”

He thought over her statement, “So… when you say you love boats… does that mean you… really hate them?”

“Give the boy a jelly tart,” she groaned.

Biting his lip, he thought for a moment, “You know, when I’m upset, you guys do things to get my mind off it? So… why don’t we try that?”

“Like what?”

“Well… how about we ask some questions? To help take your mind off things.”

Knowing how curious he was, the elf sighed, “Alright, go ahead.”

Smiling, Callum thought about his questions then nodded, “What is Xadia like?”

“Well… it’s a place where there’s magic everywhere. You can’t look at something without magic being a part of it. Remember what I told you? Everyone in Xadia has some bond to magic. It’s no different from saying, _Everywhere you look, there’s nature._ It’s just part of the vibrancy or spirit of things, you know?”

“I can’t wait to see that.” Callum smiled at the idea.

“It sounds incredible!” Ezran added with a nod.

“Yeah. Yeah, it is.”

“Are you feeling better?”

“Maybe so. Ask your next question?”

“Okay…” he thought for a bit and smiled, “What are your parents like?”

An emotion Callum couldn’t name crossed her face, and she looked away from him, “They’re dead.”

“Oh..” He slouched down, “I didn’t know.”

“It’s fine. It… it happened a long time ago.”

At that moment, the boat rocked again, and both Rayla and Callum yelped in surprise. With his yelp, Rayla looked at the dragon who blushed slightly out of embarrassment, “Umm… I don’t like boats either.”

Ez smiled at them, “Then maybe we should stop and walk.”

The others instantly agreed, pulling the craft to the bank and climbing out. They allowed the vessel to continue downstream without them and began to walk eastward. The sun set, and they found a safe place within the twisted roots of a tree for protection. Ez was sleeping with Bait in his arms, as always, and Callum had lied down behind him, wings and tail keeping the pair safe.

Rayla, meanwhile, had taken a perch on an above branch. While she did manage to get some rest, it was soon disturbed by the agony of her wrist.

Sitting up, she tried to control the pain, using all the tricks Runaan had taught her, but they barely subsided the pain this ribbon was causing her.

A noise in the distance did more to break her out of it than anything else, and she ran towards it to check for possible danger. The fawn she found instead was adorable, but even its gentle licking caused a throb of pain.

However, when the little deer ran away, she suddenly found herself face to face with a hunter of some sort. She made sure to draw him away from the sleeping boys, but her hand made the fight twice as hard as it should’ve been. Luck, or skill, or something allowed her to throw him down into a ditch, giving her the chance to head back.

She found them both awake and looking around the trees. Callum looked terrified until he saw her, and ran over with tears in his eyes, “Rayla!” he sobbed as he hugged her, “Where were you?! We woke up and you were gone!”

“Yeah Rayla, where were you?” Ez questioned, his voice also filled with worry, but not scared like the dragon’s.

Rayla looked at them both and decided to save them from the worry, “I was just doing a Moonshadow elf thing,” she lied, “Now come on, get your bags, we need to head off.”

“But…”

“Come on, let’s go!” she snapped, then hurried to gather the supplies.

Callum frowned as he looked at her and turned to Ezran, who just gave an ‘I-don’t-know’ shrug. Together, they hurried to grab their bag and followed her as she hurried into the forest. She kept ahead of them and walked abnormally fast, which was odd, considering how she typically stayed close and allowed them to set the pace for travel.

Today, she kept snapping that they were falling behind.

Eventually, Callum stormed up to her. “Rayla, stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“I dunno what it is, but something is wrong with you.”

She blinked, then glared at him, “What is wrong is that you and Ez don’t seem to be keeping up.”

“Because you’re going too fast! And you didn’t give us a chance to eat anything.”

“Well, eat on the go,” she huffed, then pulled away from him, hurrying along so she could hide the look of agony she was feeling.

The dragon paused for a moment, then looked back at Ez, who was trailing behind, “Ez, you okay?”

“Th-this bag is so heavy Callum,” he sighed, “It’s okay normally but… it’s so heavy.”

“Let me take it for a while,” Callum offered, kneeling down and holding out his hand.

Ezran looked him over then shook his head, “No, I’m alright. I just… I don’t want you to strain yourself.”

“Ez, I’m stronger than I look.”

“Yeah, and you don’t look too strong.” He walked past him, determined to not to let the dragon carry the supply bag, “Let’s just keep moving.”

“Alright, but keep still for one moment.”

“Why?”

As he stood, Callum quickly opened the bag and took out a small loaf of bread, breaking it, and passing him half, “It’s not as good as stopping, but at least it’s some food.”

“True,” Ez sighed, taking the bread and beginning to eat. Callum, however, quickly took three blankets and a water skin out of the backpack to help lighten his load.

Having put the supplies in his smaller bag, the pair carried on down the path to catch up with Rayla. They spotted her leaning on a tree, clutching her arm. She had her back turned, but as Callum got closer, he heard painful panting.

“Rayla?”

She quickly stood up and let go of her hand, glaring at them, “What took you?! Come on, we need to keep moving.”

“Rayla!”

But she was already carrying on without them. She appeared to be leading them off the road and into wilder, harder terrain. The path was becoming difficult for the two males, but Rayla didn’t seem to care. She just snapped, and shouted, and told them to hurry up.

It irritated Callum, but it also made him slightly worried. There was something. Something wasn’t right. He didn’t know what, but he knew she was hiding something from him.

However, his worry vanished when they turned a corner and found himself surrounded by a white surface. Rayla was already storming through it, but Callum just stopped, “W-what is this?”

Until then, everything had been brown, green, or a rocky colour. This white was new.

Rayla glared back at him, not in the mood for his lack of understanding, “It’s called snow Callum. You walk through it just as easily as you do on dirt. Now come on.”

He was tentative about walking on the surface, but when he didn’t fall, and didn’t feel any pain, he continued. He reached down and scooped some of it into his hand, but then dropped it quickly, “It’s cold.”

“Callum, stop messing about with the snow and keep moving.”

“Rayla, please, can you slow down!” he shouted up after her, “Ez is falling behind, he can’t keep up!”

She turned and put her hand on her hip, “How about I slow down when we’re in Xadia?” she turned back, rubbing her arm.

~#~

Far away, back in the human kingdom of Katolis, Lord Viren sighed after watching his daughter try a revealing spell on the mysterious mirror. He explained that he’d tried everything to work out what it was and its meaning, but so far had come up with nothing.

Claudia smiled at her father, “Then we’ll figure it out. Whatever it takes.” She turned to the mirror and pointed at it, “Hear that, mirror? I’m putting you on notice.” She paused before looking back at it, “Kind of weird how the mirror did it right back at me. Like it was putting _me_ on notice.”

The father, holding back his frustration, sighed, “We have something important to discuss. Your mission.”

“To rescue the prince.”

“Yes, but you will have a secret mission that is far more important.” He held her shoulder, “Claudia, you must get that dragon back.”

“It’s travelling with Ezran, so it shouldn’t be a problem,” she said confidently, “Prince, dragon, I’ve got room for a third mission if you need anything else while we’re out.”

Viren didn’t look amused by her casual attitude, “The dragon cannot be allowed to realise its full power. It is too powerful, too dangerous. Whatever happens, whatever accidents, or tragedies may occur, above all else, you must return with that dragon!”

Serious once more, Claudia nodded, “I understand.”

“Good. Now, take this.” Viren reached to his pocket and pulled out a small pouch, “It contains the dragon’s talon clippings.”

“Uh, dragon toe nails?!” she asked, taking the bag and holding it slightly away from herself.

“Use them to track the creature. And when you find it, use this.” This time, he pulled out a tube of red liquid, “It’s a vial of the dragon’s blood. I’ve placed a powerful spell on it, so when it’s broken, it will put it to sleep for several days. That’s more than long enough for you to get it here.”

“Right, thank you father. One question.” She tilted her head to the side and began to wave her arms around, “Let’s say we’re attacked by giant bumble-scorps, and they’re all buzzing, and flailing their scorps at us, and I’m forced to choose between getting the dragon and saving Soren. What should I do?” Her father frowned at her, contemplation clear on his face, but Claudia soon retracted her question, “Dad, it’s a joke. Relax, I’m kidding. Everything will be fine.” She began to head towards the door.

“The dragon…” came the man’s voice from behind her, “If you have to choose, choose the dragon.”

Looking down, the young mage left the room with items in hand.

~#~

For the last few hours, the trio had headed even further into the snow, Ezran really struggling to move through snow so deep. He ended up having to hold Callum’s tail to keep himself from sinking too far into the banks.

The dragon himself was getting angrier with Rayla every passing second. He wasn’t used to the feeling, but knew he didn’t like it. He was trying to work out what was wrong with her, why today she was acting so strange. Finally, he came to a conclusion, and stopped where he was, “You’re hiding something Rayla.”

“Callum, now is not the time to talk about this. We need to keep moving.”

“Tell me what it is.”

“Callum…”

“Tell me.”

“No.”

“Tell me.”

“Callum, stop this.”

He frowned before quickly sitting down in the snow, arms crossed and pouting, “Tell me what you’re hiding.”

“Callum, get up, we need to get moving.”

“No.”

“Callum, get up!” she snapped as she marched over to him, looking down at her feet where he sat.

“Tell me.”

“Callum! You’re acting like a baby!”

“Then tell me the truth!”

“It’s not important!”

“It is to me!”

She stared at him, then went to grab his arm, but quickly, two wings came around and cocooned the dragon, blocking her reach. Rayla let out a frustrated groan, “You stupid lizard!”

The wings pulled back for a second, “Stupid elf!” came his shout back before they closed once more.

“Umm, guys?”

“Will you just get up?!”

“Will you just tell me the truth?!”

“Guys.”

“There’s nothing wrong!”

“You’re lying!”

“Guys!” Ez hissed slightly, breaking them away from each other, “You guys need to stop fighting. Look! All your yelling is cracking the ice.”

They looked behind him and saw that the ice cliff was indeed cracking. Callum gasped softly as he stood up and looked it over. “Is… that bad?” he whispered.

“Yes, that’s… very bad Callum,” Rayla whispered back, “We need to keep quiet now.”

“But Rayla is still hiding things.”

“Then talk about it when we don’t have a million tons of ice hanging over us,” the youngest of them huffed quietly. He began to walk on ahead, careful not to make any noise as he went.

For a few steps, they were silent, but then, at the back, Bait let out an enormous, cataclysmic belch that echoed around them.

The ice that had stopped cracking, suddenly shattered, and began to tumble down the mountain side. Rayla looked up, eyes wide in terror. “RUN!” she shouted, no longer bothering with noise as the crashing snow came down.

The group turned around and began to run the way they came, but unfortunately, the snow was hard to walk through going up, and even harder to run through going down. It wasn’t long before Ezran stumbled and fell down into a bank.

Rayla turned back, reaching out to help him up, but had naturally offered her right hand. She almost screamed as he grabbed and pulled against it.

“What’s wrong with your hand?” Ez asked, looking at the blackened skin.

“Don’t worry about it!” she shouted, turning and grabbing him with her good hand.

They continued to run for a while, but suddenly found themselves at the top of a high cliff with nowhere else to go. “We’re trapped!” Rayla panicked as she looked back at the wave of fast approaching snow.

Callum stared at the drop, his heart racing, but then turned to his friends and quickly wrapped an arm around each one, pulling them towards him. Before they could ask him what he was doing, he spread his wings wide, and a moment before the wave of snow hit, he jumped off the cliff.

He felt tears in his eyes at the pain this was causing for his wings, but he kept flapping them. He gasped at the effort it was taking to keep them airborne.

“Callum! You can do it!” Ezran shouted encouragingly, “Come on!”

“Come on Callum!” Rayla shouted as well, “You’re flying! Just hold on!”

Even with their support, the tears from his pain flowed, and he shook his head, “I-I’m sorry…” Then, his wings gave out.

They fell down the cliffside where the snow had gone and landed in the powder below, the last of the avalanche following them down. A few moments later, Callum coughed as he got his breath back, and found himself surrounded by soft, powdery snow. The cold felt oddly nice against his sore wings, but he forced himself to sit up, “R-Rayla? Ez?”

Rayla was head first in a snowbank, but also got up and appeared unhurt, “Callum? Are you alright?”

“Where’s Ez?” was his next question.

“G-guys…” came the human’s voice, and they turned to see him a fair bit away from them. He was on a flat surface that was cracking, and he looked over at them with a terrified expression, “I’m scared.”

Callum began to run towards him, but Rayla soon grabbed him to hold him back, “Don’t! That’s thin ice! Too much weight will make it crack, and you’ll fall in.”

“But we can’t leave him!”

“We won’t. But we need to think about this carefully.”

“Why should I believe you Rayla?! You’ve been lying to me.”

She gave him a hard glare, “Not the time Callum.”

“I’m angry with you! And I don’t believe you!” he looked back at Ezran who was trying to keep as still as possible, but the cracks were still growing. “I’m coming Ezran!” he shouted, then walked out onto the ice, wings wide to help him balance on the slippery surface.

“Callum, come back!”

Ignoring her, he slowly made his way towards the human, getting close enough to see fear in his eyes.

“Callum…” Ez whispered while the ice spread out even more.

He took another step, but splinters appeared where his foot was, so he stepped back to safer ground. They were a few feet apart, just out of reach, but the dragon still tried to think of how he could save his friend.

“Callum… I’m scared,” Ezran confessed as the ice cracked more.

“I am too Ez. But… for once, I’m not scared for myself,” he admitted, still looking around, “I’m scared of losing you. You’re my friend Ezran. So, I won’t leave you, and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Rayla had made her way onto the ice and stood behind the dragon on a thicker portion, “Callum… please, come back. We can work this out together.”

“I’m not listening to you Rayla!”

She glared at his back and frowned, “Fine! You want the truth? I’ll tell you! This morning, the big rush was because I was attacked by someone. A human. He was hunting us. I fought him off, but it was hard…” She held up her arm to show the ribbon and the damage it was doing, “Because of this.”

Callum glanced back at her, “What does that have to do with anything?”

“This is an assassin’s binding. A Moonshadow elf ritual. Before I met you, I swore an oath,” she paused and then sighed, “I bound myself to end Prince Ezran’s life. And this binding will never come off while he’s alive. It will just get tighter and tighter until I lose my hand. But I’m ready to pay that price.”

The dragon’s expression softened before turning back to her. “Help me save him.”

As if the words gave her permission to approach, Rayla made her way over to the dragon. “We need some way to reach him and pull him over.”

“Do we have anything that could do that?”

Ezran stared at them, so close, and yet, not able to reach them, “W-What about Callum’s tail?”

Looking at the appendage, the pair stared at each other, then nodded. The dragon turned around and concentrated on stretching his tail out as far as possible.

“Take one step back Callum,” Rayla said, grabbing his arms as best as she could, hissing at the pain, “I’ve got you.”

He looked at her hand, then her eyes, before glancing back at Ezran as he moved, “Come on Ez, reach!”

The boy managed to wrap his hand around the fur at the end of Callum’s tail.

However, at that moment, the ice cracked once more and shattered under his feet. The boy dropped instantly into the icy water below.

“Ezran!” Callum and Rayla shouted as he vanished, looking at the broken surface for a moment, but there was no sign of him coming back up.

“There…there must be a current… it’s dragged him down,” Rayla said, oddly calm considering the situation.

Callum however, stared in horror before throwing his bag and sketchbook off his shoulders, taking a deep breath, and jumping into the water.

“Callum!” the elf shouted, but it was too late. He was already gone, caught by the stream and dragged further under. “No-no-no-no-no!” Rayla looked around frantically for where they could have gone, but the ice looked the same in all directions.

Her breathing was becoming sharper with every second they went unaccounted. She was desperate for some kind of sign.

Under the water, Callum looked for the human. He felt the water pushing him around, but he managed to beat his wings and fought against it. His eyes weren’t affected by the chilled water, looking through the liquid like it was just low light. Holding his breath, he swam towards something, and he almost gasped when he saw Ezran. He was unconscious, floating in the water, and his leg was wrapped in some lakebed plants that were holding him from the current.

Pushing his wings, the dragon swam over, touching his face and feeling relieved when his eyes opened and he clamped his hand over his mouth. Callum nodded before going to his leg, pulling at the weed to get it off him.

As he did, something else moved in the water and darted towards him. Callum caught a glimpse, but then screamed out as something bit into his arm and vanished into the darkness. His air now gone, the dragon hurried to pull Ezran back towards the surface, but somehow, he’d lost the hole he’d jumped through and all he could see was ice.

Panic setting in, he pounded on the surface with his fist, hoping to break it, but it was no good. His vision was getting dark around the edges and he was struggling to keep his legs kicking to stay afloat. Ezran was already becoming a massive weight on his arm.

Suddenly, through the ice, he made out a figure in green and watched them pound on the surface with the edge of their weapon. After a few strikes, the ice shattered once more. He broke the surface with a gasp and used the last of his strength to grip the edge with one arm. Rayla reached out and took Ezran from him, pulling him onto the safer, thicker ice before repeating the action with the dragon. Once out of the water, Callum shivered, but hurried over to the human, “Is he okay?”

Rayla looked him over, “He… he’s not breathing,” she gasped, rolling him to his side and rubbing his back firmly, “Come on Ez. Come on… breathe!”

Callum watched as she tried to save him and reached out for the boy’s hand, “Come on Ez… wake up. Please… I… I don’t want to lose you,” he whispered, tears running down his cheeks, “Y-You’ve got to be okay… please! Y-you’re like a brother to me… please… come on wake up.” He kept pleading desperately.

For a moment, there was nothing, but then Ezran coughed and began to spit out the water he’d swallowed. He opened his eyes, looking straight at Callum, and gave a weak smile, “I always w-w-w-wanted a br-br-brother,” he stuttered through chattering teeth.

Callum gasped as he watched him, then leaned forward to nuzzle his cheek and face, “Then from now on, you and me, we’re brothers, alright?”

“Yeah,” Ez said, then sneezed, “I think I got a case of the f-f-f-frozie-toesies.”

Leaning away, the dragon smiled and wiped his eyes, “I… I don’t know what that is,” he confessed, holding Ez close to his chest.

The human gave a pleased groan, “Man Callum, you’re so warm.”

“Being a dragon has its perks I guess,” he chuckled, then looked at Rayla who was relieved at their safety. Callum gave her a hard glare, “No more secrets Rayla. Promise?”

She looked at him, pausing for a moment, then sighed, “Promise. Now come on, we need to get you and Ez out of those wet clothes and somewhere warm.”

Agreeing, Callum picked up Ez and carried him to the side, following Rayla as she checked for weak spots in the ice. However, as they walked, Callum couldn’t help but feel a throb in his arm from where he’d been bitten.

* * *

**RK: Brotherly loooove! Bless brotherly looooove! ^-^**

**SL: I’m just glad we were able to think of a way to get around the ‘ice egg’ problem. Hope you liked our solution. **


	10. Chapter 9 – Antacuda

#  Chapter 9 – Antacuda

Night had arrived since the two princes had fallen under the ice. Luckily, they had managed to find a cave to make a fire while Rayla had left them to try and find food. Ezran had dropped their supplies in the water during the dilemma, but they didn’t care. He was safe, and that was all that mattered.

Callum sat by the fire while Ez slept, his ‘frozie-toesies’ having made him sick with a stuffy nose and a bad headache. He watched the human for a bit, but then felt a pain in his arm, and carefully pulled his jacket off to see what could be causing it. He froze when he saw two lines of three, tiny, black marks on his scales, the flesh swelling around them. He poked one, but then pulled back when the pain filled his entire arm.

He hissed a little in pain before putting the jacket back on.

“Callum?”

He turned to the human, “Ez? You should be sleeping.”

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” he said with a smile, “You need to sleep.”

He frowned, but then sneezed, “Alright…” he moaned as he laid back down.

Watching him, Callum sighed and looked at his arm. The bite hadn’t damaged his clothing, so there was no way to see what had happened. With a frown, he pulled out his sketch book and found a clean page, beginning to draw the creature from under the water.

“What’s that?”

He looked up to see Rayla had returned. He opened his mouth to tell her, but then saw the ribbon on her arm and remembered her lies. So, he simply closed the book, “Nothing.”

“Oh,” she sighed, sounding hurt by his words, “Well… look, I found some Moonberries.” She placed a small cloth on the floor and revealed a handful of small red berries, “This should keep us full… for a day.”

Callum frowned at the fruit, then picked one up and ate it. He found that he liked the taste.

Rayla smiled at him then turned to Ez, “And I found these for you!” she pulled out two lime green berries from her pocket, “Bogeyberries! Ancient Xadian cure for the common sniffles.”

Ez took them from her and tilted his head, about to eat them.

“Mmm nope.” Rayla smirked at his mistake, “They don’t go in your mouth.”

“Uh…” the human looked confused.

“To cure a stuffy nose, you’ve got to stuff ‘em up your nose.”

“Oh. Seems doable,” he said before proceeding to do just that.

Rayla smiled as she looked over the two, “So, how you both feeling?”

“‘etter. ‘ut my ‘ead still urts’.”

Callum gave the little boy a funny look, “You sound weird Ez.”

The human stared at him, then went to the fire, “‘hat abou’ you ‘allum? You ‘ere under the ‘ater too.”

“I’m fine. I was a little cold, but I’m alright now. I was just worried about you.”

“Well, since you’re both alright, we need to plan our next move. Mainly the fact we have no food.”

“Luckily, we still have Callum’s bag, and he had all the money, so all we need is a village and we can get more. There should be one near here.”

Rayla pulled an unconvinced frown, “Yeah, that’s not gonna work. Elf and dragon remember?”

“I could go alone.”

“Not gonna happen.”

“Well…” Callum said, thinking, “I could go with him?”

“How, you can’t shift yet.”

“Yeah, but with my cloak, I can pretend to be human. I fooled Ez’s aunt. And she’s a general.”

“And if you mess up and someone works out you’re a dragon?”

That had him stumped.

Suddenly, before they could think about it, he turned to the side and heaved, throwing up behind a rock. The others blinked in surprise, “Callum?! You alright?”

He coughed for a moment then nodded, “Fine… I… I think I just don’t like Moonberries after all.”

Accepting his explanation, Rayla sat by the fire and tried to think. Ez took that moment to look at her hand, and the ribbon connected to his life. “How’s your hand?”

“Sore…” she sighed, rubbing it.

“How long do you have?”

“A week I’d say… maybe less.”

Callum glanced at her with a frown, “You should have told us sooner Rayla. We could have helped.”

“How Callum?!” she snapped at him, “This band is bound to Ez’s life. The only way to get rid of it is to kill Ez. And I won’t do that.”

“We could have found another way,” he growled, “Secrets only hurt people.”

They fell into silence before Rayla sighed, “Let’s just get some sleep.”

~#~

The next day, the trio set off again. They were heading across the mountain until suddenly, Rayla told them to hurry, saying she’d spotted smoke. They hurried after her, and soon found a town nestled in a mountain valley.

“I told you I saw smoke.”

“So… how are we going to do this?” Callum asked, his wings folding down by his back and his tail curling up under the cloak. He pulled up his hood, but noticed it made him feel dizzy, yet he shook the feeling away, “I mean, I can go in but…”

“Ah, I’ve been thinking about that!” she reached into Callum’s bag and pulled out a blanket they used to sleep with, then wrapped it around herself, “Get ready to meet…” she turned on the spot and pulled up the hood, “Human Rayla!”

Callum looked at her, “I’m not sure that’s gonna work… you still look like an elf to me.”

“Just wait. Once I pair my disguise with my perfect human impression, the illusion will be complete.” She cleared her throat. “Greetings, fellow humans!” she exclaimed with a thick accent, “Human fellas! I sure do like hanging out with other humans, and talking about things like money, and starting wars.”

The dragon thought about it, then nodded, “That… does sound like something a human would say.”

“Totally, my good human friend! Bring it in,” she said, holding up her hand, “High four!”

Looking at her raised hand, Ezran frowned. “Uh, can you impersonate a fifth finger?” he asked, holding up his own hand and wiggling his digits

“Right, right…” Rayla realised. Callum had five fingers like all dragons and he was wearing gloves which hid any draconic features. “I need some kind of a… hand disguise,” she mumbled to herself as she looked around. Then, she spotted a figure made of snow, shaped with three spheres stacked on top of each other. Sticks poked out of each side with full gloves on the ends, and a carrot stuck out from the middle of its face.

“Look, snow-elf!” she exclaimed, running over and stealing its gloves.

“I’m pretty sure that’s a snow-man,” Ez mumbled as they followed after her. 

“Hand disguise!” She smiled, holding out her now covered hands, giving her the illusion of five fingers. However, as she held them up, the little finger collapsed.

Callum frowned, reaching over and wiggling it, “Umm…”

“Just don’t shake hands with anyone,” Ezran advised with a chuckle, then turned towards the village. The town was quite large and had wide, stone paths to walk down. And it was also _filled_ with humans. Callum was tense as he passed them, slinking down behind his scarf to hide his scales, but soon, he realised no one was looking at them.

Rayla also seemed tense as she walked, her arms swinging obnoxiously, and voice loudly speaking in her ‘human accent’. “Just walking into town without a care in the world, despite my sub-century life expectancy.”

Callum looked back at her, “Rayla… I-I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“But… I’m just a regular human walking-.”

“Rayla, shh,” he hushed her before looking over the town, “Where can we get some food Ez?”

“See the clock tower there? Normally food is near the square, and the square is normally where the clock tower is,” he explained as he headed onwards.

Looking up at the tower, Callum suddenly felt dizzy again and staggered back a few steps, holding his head. This time, the others noticed, “Callum? Are you alright?”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine I… I just went dizzy.”

“Are you _feeling_ alright?” Rayla asked, reaching for him, but with the gloves, she couldn’t feel anything.

Callum pulled quickly away from her, “I’m fine. Let’s just go,” he growled, hurrying along the path and towards the tower. As they did, they found a collection of people gathered around a frozen fountain.

A man stood at the edge, dressed in a blue tunic and cloak, making bold, exaggerated movements as he addressed the crowd. “I defended the border against all manners of horrors and monstrosities. Things you can’t even imagine!” he smirked as he turned on the spot, “There’s nothing I fear now. In fact, I wager I could defeat any challenger here, with nothing but my dagger!” he patted the dagger at his side, and the crowd gasped.

He jumped down and looked over the crowd, pointing to one man in particular, “What about you?”

As he carried on asking people about the wager, Callum turned to Rayla, “What’s going on? He’s funny.”

“He’s offering to fight for money,” she groaned and rolled her eyes, “Such a human thing.”

“Oh.” Callum turned back to the fight, but then put a hand to his head again.

The elf stared at him for a moment, “Callum? You’re not alright… what’s wrong?”

“W-why should I tell you?” he moaned, “You hid things from us… why should I tell you?”

“Callum, I’m sorry for not telling you about my hand, but please… don’t hide things from me just to get back at me.”

He glared at her, then let out a deep breath, “I feel dizzy… and too hot.”

“Did anything happen to you? Is there anything you didn’t tell me?”

As he opened his mouth to speak, Ezran grabbed his arm and pointed to the display that was going on, “What is that?!”

The pair looked to see the bragging man drawing out his dagger against a much larger man with a massive sword. They both stood ready to strike in the middle of the square, and Rayla’s eyes went wide as she noticed the blade, “Wait, you’ll want to see this,” she said, watching the fight with interest now.

The others looked on as well, and watched as the man drew his blade, revealing it to be a glowing, yellow colour. When it crossed the large sword, it sliced through the metal without any effort. Soon, it was sliced into three pieces, and the challenger was left with a fat hilt and no sword.

As he ran away, and the challenger went off sobbing, Callum turned to the elf. “What was that?”

“It’s a Sunforge blade!” she exclaimed with a level of excitement.

“Wow! I can’t believe I just saw a real Sunforge blade!… What’s a Sunforge blade?”

“In Xadia, Sunfire elves can make magic weapons that stay as hot as the moment they’re forged for hundreds of years.” She pointed carefully over to the man as he put the blade away, “See that? The sheath is inscribed with special runes to protect him from the heat. Otherwise, well…”

“His pants would be on fire?” Ez guessed.

“Yeah. His legs too.”

Callum staggered again, but kept standing, “R-Rayla, if that blade can cut through a sword like that… d-do you think… it could cut through pretty much anything?”

“Not just pretty much, it can cut through _anything,_” she emphasised, worried about his condition, but then gasped, realising what he had worked out, “My wrist binding!”

He nodded slightly, “You… have to go get that dagger.”

“But what about the supplies?”

“Ez and I can get them.”

“And what about you?” she added, moving closer towards him as the crowd scattered, “You’re not well.”

“I-I probably just got the frozie-toesies,” he sighed, looking at her, “L-look, you need that blade. I’ll be fine. I’ll stay out of sight. Promise.”

She frowned at him, worried about his condition, but then nodded, “Alright. Stay out of sight and stay safe. I will meet you back here at the square when we’re done.”

“How are you going to get that dagger Rayla?” Ezran asked with a slight tilt off his head.

Pulling her hood a little further down, she smirked, “I’m going to ask him nicely,” she said, then turned and hurried off after him.

~#~

“That’ll be seventy-five gold my boy,” the shop keeper said as he passed over a new leather bag, packed with all of the new supplies.

Ezran took the bag and passed over the correct amount of coins, “Thank you,” he said, then took it over to his ‘guardian’ who was leaning against the wall outside the shop.

“Ready to go Callum?”

The dragon nodded, but instantly, Ez could tell something was wrong. He was breathing much harder than before, and his brow was covered in a thin layer of sweat, “Callum… you… you don’t look too good.”

He panted for breath, holding his side as he felt his stomach churn and ache, “I… I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” The human frowned, pulling him over to sit in the snowy bank, and placing his hand on his forehead, “You’re burning up! Callum, you’re really sick.”

The dragon panted, pulling his scarf down so he could breathe easier, “Ez…”

“We need to find Rayla.”

“N-no…” He grabbed the boy’s arm before he could leave, “D-don’t… I don’t… want her to know.”

“Why not Callum?”

“S-she lied to us. Hid things. S-she’s still hiding things…” he groaned, holding his arm, “I-I don’t want her to know.”

“Wait so… just because Rayla is hiding things from us… you want to hide that you’re sick from her? That’s not how it works Callum!”

“I-I don’t want her to know.”

“But what’s wrong with you? You can tell me at least.”

Staring at the young boy, the teen dragon thought for a moment, then sighed, “W-while we were under the ice… something… something bit me.”

“Bit you?”

He reached up and carefully pulled his jacket down to reveal his arm and the six holes, the red swelling having gotten much darker and larger. Ez gasped as he looked at it, “Callum! Why didn’t you tell us sooner?!”

“I… I didn’t trust Rayla.”

“Callum,” he whispered, looking at the bite, “Callum, I… I think you might have been poisoned. We need to get you some help. This village should have a doctor of some kind.” Ez looked around, “But… any doctor would be a human one… and you’re… not.” Frowning, he headed back to the stand he’d bought the supplies from, “Excuse me! Is there an animal doctor or something in this town?”

“Aye,” he said, pointing down the road, “Go down there, end of the street, look for the building with the horse and the heart.”

“Thank you!” The prince hurried back to Callum, “Come on, I know somewhere we can go. Can you stand?”

It took him a moment, but he was able to get back onto his feet with a groan. Callum held his side, and made his way across the town with Ez until they found the building with the horse and the heart.

Slowly, the pair made their way inside and soon spotted a man tending to a horse in its stable.

“Be with you in a moment,” he called.

As they made their way into the building, a couple of the horses gave whinnies at the dragon’s presence. The man with a pair of small glasses, and a full, short beard turned to face them, “How can I help you boys?”

“We…we need your help…” Ez explained, looking at him while Callum found a chair and sat on it. “My friend fell through the ice the other day and has been bitten by something.”

“Bitten? By what?”

Callum groaned as he reached for his sketch book and pulled it out, the action making his whole body ache, but he managed to place it on the table and turned the pages until he got to the sketch. “This. This is it,” he said, showing an eel-like creature with a wide mouth and six fangs. Its body was shaded to a striped and diamond pattern. “It… it was blue and white and these… these diamonds were red.”

The doctor looked at the image and shook his head, “Ah, nothing to worry about. It’s an Antacuda snake.”

“A what?”

“Antacuda snakes. They live in the waters around here. They have a nasty bite, but they’re harmless to humans. In fact, it’s odd for them to attack a human. They normally go for magical creatures. You must have been near its nest for it to attack you.”

The words made Callum’s eyes go wide, “Magical creatures?”

“Yeah, you know, elves and other things from Xadia. Their bite is quite dangerous to them.”

Ezran swallowed at the words, “How… dangerous?”

The man frowned, “Deadly. Takes about three days for it to kill them.” Both boys looked at each other with terror in their eyes, but the doctor only chuckled.

“But don’t worry; as I said, its only deadly to magical creatures.”

The pair looked at each other, mentally sharing the same question. After a moment, Ezran nodded to Callum who sighed, turning to the doctor, “Thing is…” he reached up and pulled back his hood, letting his horns come into view, “_I am_ magical.”

The doctor stared, mouth open in shock as he looked at the teen, “Y-yo-your… you’re a… a-a-a…”

“Dragon,” Ezran finished with a nod.

The older man backed up a step, keeping his eyes on the beast, “I-I should…. I need to get the guards. A-a dragon… in the village,” he backed away, “Y-your kind… they… they… you’re going to hurt the village.”

“Please, I need your help,” the teen pleaded, holding his arm over the bite, “I’m not going to hurt anyone here. I swear.”

“We are just trying to get him home, to Xadia,” Ezran explained, moving closer to Callum to try and show he wasn’t a threat, “You have to understand… he’s the Dragon Prince.”

The doctor froze in his retreat, “He’s what?”

“The Dragon Prince. The one that was said to have been killed… but he’s alive. If we can get him home, the war between our lands will end! Please, you have to help him!”

“Why should I?”

“Because I just want to go home…” Callum groaned against his pain, “I-I just want to go home. I want to go home and stop the fighting.” He held out his arm, and pulled back his sleeve to show the now slightly greyed bandages around his wrist, “This… this is from the chains that have held me to a wall for the last ten years. I was trapped and tortured for _ten years,_ and now… I just want to go home. Please… help me.”

Hearing this, the doctor frowned for a moment, “Prove it.”

“What?”

“Prove he’s the Dragon Prince and not just some random dragon.”

Callum stared at him, “How?”

“The Dragon Prince is a sky dragon. Do some sky magic.”

Panting hard, the prince thought about it, then shook his head, “I can’t.”

“Then I’m sorry, I can’t help you,” he turned away, heading for the door to get the guards.

“Wait!” the dragon called before turning to look at his hand. He closed his eyes and fought past the pain. He had yet to do this at his own will, but he hoped he could just do something to prove who he was. Something tingled over his hand, and he looked to see sparks of lightning crossing his palm and over his fingers.

The man gasped as he watched. “Y-you really are…”

Closing his hand and letting the magic go, Callum gasped and clutched his arm as the pain suddenly tripled. He ended up bending over himself, the pain becoming too much to handle. Ezran hurried to help support him, but there was little he could do, “Please! You have to help him!”

The doctor stared for a moment, then nodded, walking towards him, “Show me the bite.”

Callum returned his nod, then carefully pulled off his jacket to show the mark. The doctor looked it over for a moment, “The bite has gone straight through your scales… and it’s already in your blood stream.”

“Is there a cure?” Ezran asked hopefully.

“Well… there is no need for a cure… since Antacuda bites don’t hurt humans or even non-magical animals.”

“So… w-what c-can we do?”

The doctor looked at the wound then turned away, “I don’t know what I can do to help you…” he whispered, “I’m so sorry.”

“No!” Ez shouted, “There has to be something you can do! Anything!”

Callum looked terrified. “Please… there must be something.”

The doctor stared at him for a bit, “I’m hesitant to tell you about this, because it might be incredibly dangerous. There was a miracle that happened a few years ago, but it happened on the Cursed Caldera.” He sighed then looked away again, “There’s someone you should meet.”

~#~

Across town, the blagging man with the sun forge dagger tossed his winnings up and down in his hand. His mind was caught on what he’d do with his wealth, but he soon felt something behind him.

He looked back, but there was no one there, so carried on. Yet, the feeling continued. Again, he looked back and saw nothing, but decided not to chance it and took off in a run. This time, he knew something was following him, as he noticed a cloaked figure making chase. Darting down a dead-end alley, he drew his glowing weapon, and turned to face his stalker. “I won that money fair and square!” he shouted at the figure.

Rayla kept her hood down over her face as she looked at him, “I don’t want your money,” she told him, gloved hands out.

“Then what do you want from me?” he asked, confused by her motives.

Turning her hand over to show the binding, she stared at him hopefully, “I want your help.”

The request made him stand back slowly, “Wait? What?”

“I don’t want to fight you. I just want to borrow your blade to cut this,” she pointed to the binding.

The human didn’t look convinced and he frowned at her, “Oh, you just want to _borrow_ it. Do you know how valuable…”

“Fine!” Rayla interrupted, “You hold it. Just cut this thing off me.”

“But it’ll burn you.”

Desperate, the elf almost strangled the man, “I don’t care! Just do it! …Please.”

Accepting her request, the human stepped over and took her gloved hand. He carefully held the weapon over the white ribbon. Unable to watch, Rayla pulled back from the heat and braced herself. The man looked regretfully at her, then tried to carefully slice the ribbon away.

The burning hot metal however, soon ignited her glove, and she shook her hand to try and douse the flame, but instead, it fell off into the snow. Sucking at the burn to try and stop the pain, Rayla soon felt the burn subside, but the man frowned as he looked at her hand.

“You’re one of them!” he accused, weapon now at the ready.

Hand behind her back, Rayla gave her best smile. “Who, me?” she asked in her human accent, “I’m just a simple human girl, who likes the human things, like bread, and complaining all the time.”

He didn’t buy it. “No! You’re an elf!”

Rolling her eyes, she pulled off the second glove. “Fine. I’m an elf,” she said before dropping and rolling over, grabbing the knife from his hand, and throwing the man into the wall behind her. “Calm down, this will only take a second.”

Holding the blade herself, she carefully tried to slice the binding off, holding it against her skin until she couldn’t take it any longer. Screaming out when it got too hot, she let go and looked, but the ribbon was still there. “No!” she screamed out, “Nothing can cut this stupid binding! Ugh!”

The man behind her held up his hands in surrender, “Just take the dagger! Don’t hurt me, please!”

Rayla looked at him with disgust, “I’m not going to hurt you. And I’m not going to steal from you, either,” she said, passing him the blade back. Once he had safely put it away, he looked at her in amazement. She gave a small smirk, “But… I can’t have you following me…” She turned on the spot and lifted her leg up, roundhouse kicking him across the face and knocking him out cold.

Once sure she was safe, she headed off to the statue to meet up with Ez and Callum. They sat waiting for her, a new bag on Ezran’s back, and the pair talking lowly as she approached

“Hey, how did the shopping go?” The two turned to her and she saw dread in their eyes, “W-What happened?”

“Th-there is something Callum needs to tell you.”

The words were spoken softly, and it scared her, “Callum?”

He didn’t look at her, “I… I’ve been bitten Rayla.”

“Bitten?”

“When I was under the ice… something bit me.”

“He was bitten by an Antacuda snake.”

Rayla gasped, covering her mouth, “Oh no! Antacuda snakes are… are…”

“Fatal to magical creatures…” Callum whispered, wiping the sweat off his brow, “We know.”

“Callum…” she reached out and cupped his cheek.

He leaned into her hand and sighed.

“But there’s hope,” Ezran explained, “The doctor told us about this miracle a few years ago…”

With that, he began to explain how they had met Ellis and her wolf Ava. About how Ava had been hurt and lost her leg, about how Ellis’ family had wanted to put the wolf pup down, but they had run away to a local mountain, also known as the Cursed Caldera. Then as they hid, a magical lady had come and restored the wolf’s leg.

Rayla blinked at the story, “So… this… miracle healer… if she can restore a leg… she…”

“She should be able to save Callum from the venom.”

“How long do we have?”

Ez sighed and looked away, “According to the doctor… two days, max.”

“Then we need to go! Now! Where is this Cursed Caldera?”

The human pointed to a mountain in the distance, “Up there.”

“That will take more than two days to climb!”

“Hopefully she’s only half way up.”

The elf didn’t seem to agree as she helped Callum stand, and headed off towards the mountain, unaware that someone was following them.

* * *

* * *

**RK: Man, I hate it when my baby boy’s in pain. It hurts my mamma heart! Q-Q**

**SL: It’s gonna be okay Ray, you know I’d never hurt our babbie dragon…. Much.**

**RK: *glares suspiciously***

* * *

**SL: Ray is a very clever girl! She made this image of what our Breath of Hope Callum looks like! Isn't she smart! **


	11. Chapter 10 – The Cursed Caldera

#  ** Chapter 10 – The Cursed Caldera  **

** **

The Caldera was steep, the ground hard and dark, while the trees around them were lifeless. Callum, who was quickly losing the little strength he had to the venom, was supported by Rayla as they walked. She winced at the effort to carry him, but then came to a steady stop, gently easing him down to the ground, “I just need a moment,” she explained, sitting on the ground beside him.

Callum panted as he held his arm, then looked over at Rayla, “Y-your hand…”

She held up the binding, “Yeah… Sunforge blade didn’t cut it.”

“I-I’m s-sorry.”

“Ah, it will come off eventually… when my hand does.”

He frowned at her attempted humour, “M-m-maybe the h-healer c-can help you too,” he gasped, then winced at the throbbing pain in his arm.

“It’s more important she helps you. But how are we even going to find her?”

At that moment, Ezran gasped, looking over the forest to see a strange figure in the darkness with two, glowing green eyes. Rayla quickly stood, “Who’s there?!”

The shape jumped forward to reveal itself to be a little girl riding on the back of a large wolf. Callum frowned at her, “Ellis?”

The girl stared at him then smiled, “So I was right! You _are_ a dragon!”

During the walk, his scarf and hood had become too hot, so he’d taken them down, and now his true nature was revealed to her. Ezran looked confused, “How did you know he was a dragon?”

“When you were leaving my place, I was sure I saw his tail… so I kinda followed you. And if you are after the miracle healer, I can help you find her.” Ava walked towards them, sniffing at Callum before lying down to let the girl off. Ellis slowly looked over the panting, sweating teen, “You… don’t look too good.”

The dragon gave her a weak smile, “I’m not…”

She nodded, then looked at the others, “Come on, help me get him onto Ava. She can carry him.”

Together, the group helped the dragon onto the back of the beast with Callum lying flat on her back and holding onto the collar at her neck. Ava stood, and even with the extra weight, easily began to walk up the mountain side with the others following.

Without having to carry the dragon, the group made good time through the forest. Rayla looked down at the strange girl, “So… umm… hi there. But who are you exactly?”

The girl turned and smiled sweetly at her, “Me? I’m Ellis, and this is Ava.” She pointed to the wolf carrying the dragon beside them, “She’s a wolf.”

“Wolf? Really?” Rayla smirked, “I thought bird.”

Callum looked at her while he held onto his ride, “That was sarcasm… right?”

“Sure was Callum,” she teased, but there was no heart in it. He looked as pale as when they’d first met.

Ezran turned around as he walked on ahead, “Oh, I should have introduced you guys. Ellis, this is Rayla. She’s a Moonshadow elf who… umm… broke into my home… trying to kill me.”

The assassin looked sheepish at the introduction.

“And that’s Callum, or Cadonumis, which is his real name, but he likes to be called Callum. He’s a dragon. More than that, he’s the Dragon Prince.”

“Wow! I’ve never met a dragon _or_ an elf before!” she exclaimed, looking back upside down at Rayla, “You’re not what I imagined.”

Rayla didn’t want to ask what she’d imagined and instead looked up the mountain as they continued onward. “So, how do we find this healer?”

“Truth is, I never found her. She found us.” The little girl looked up to the mountain, “We were hiding in a big, twisty, hollow tree. Up near the rim.”

Callum gave a sudden, sharp groan, and curled in on himself, panting to get his breathing back to normal. Rayla soon held his head and felt his fever. “Then we need to get to that tree,” she said to the others, “Even if it takes all night. It’s our only chance.”

“I’ll get us to that tree, the healer will find us there, and she’ll save Callum!” Ellis said with confidence while leading Ava.

The rest of the day was spent heading up the Caldera, crossing over sheer drops, over broken trees, and around narrow ledges. As they made their way steadily up, they hardly stopped, and carried on until they came to a platform that looked over the sky and the sunset.

Ellis hurried on ahead and looked at the sight before them, “It’s so beautiful. It’s like the sky is painted with honey,” she compared poetically.

Callum on her back opened his eyes and smiled, “Wow,” he said softly as Rayla checked on him again.

Ellis soon turned back to the path, “Too bad it also means the nightmare’s about to begin.”

The elf turned back to look at her, “What do you mean?”

Still smiling with confidence, Ellis shrugged, “Oh, you know, enormous monsters, indescribable terrors. Stuff like that.”

“Stuff like that?” Rayla repeated, unconvinced.

“Yeah,” she grinned, “And the higher we go, the worse it’ll get.”

Rayla paused, then nodded, “All right! Well, let’s go.” She forced herself to grin, trying to catch whatever confidence Ellis had.

Ezran frowned as he looked up at the mountain, “I… I don’t know Rayla… maybe we should have a plan first.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. In case we come across… something?” he thought for a moment, “But… how do you plan for indescribable terrors? I feel like you need to be able to describe them first.”

“Um, horrifying!” Ellis offered, “Blood-curdling, creepy, but in a super extreme way that feels like it’s lighting your soul on fire.”

“I think that helps.”

Rayla frowned at the pair, “Look, we don’t have time for this. We will just have to face whatever comes at us when it comes at us. Callum’s getting worse with every second and we need to find this healer.” Her face hardened a bit, “We can’t let him die, understand?”

“R-Rayla…” he whispered from behind, holding out his hand to her.

Taking it, she smiled comfortingly, “Don’t worry, you’re not going to die. Let’s go.”

The others nodded and they carried on up the mountain. As the sun set, it began to get even darker. Ezran started carrying Bait, who glowed so they could have some light, and oddly, nothing else happened. The mountain was still and disturbingly quiet. Rayla frowned as she walked beside Ava, “Anyone else think this is… oddly quiet?”

“Yeah…” Ellis said as she looked around, “It’s a little odd nothing bad has happened yet.” She suddenly pointed up ahead, “Ah! I see a huge scary monster!” she squealed, and the others tensed, but the girl just calmly walked on over to the beast as it lay on the ground, “But don’t worry, it’s dead.”

Rayla frowned as she put her blades down, “Then why did you say it like that?”

“Say it like what?” she squealed again before heading over to the creature, the others following her, “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“And look at those circles,” Ezran remarked as he looked it over.

Rayla hurried to the humans and frowned. “Don’t touch it.”

“What a strange birthmark…” Ellis pondered.

The elf frowned, “I don’t think that’s a birthmark,” she said calmly, “It’s a bite mark. Something’s drained all its blood.”

Thinking about it, Ellis turned away and her eyes went wide, “Guys! I see a huger, scarier monster!” she shouted as a huge leech slowly crawled up over the dead body, and growled at them before beginning to charge.

Rayla tensed when she saw it. “Run!” she yelled, and the slug began to slither away from the creature and followed them.

Ava soon went after Ellis, and the girl climbed onto the wolf’s back, Callum holding her tight as they ran up a steep cliff and escaped the beast. Instead, it just turned around and went after Rayla, Ez, and Bait who were trying to climb a tree in the middle of the clearing. “You climb trees right?” Rayla asked before giving Ezran a boost up.

As the beast approached, the elf drew her blade and carefully made it to a safe height, but her bound hand was almost crushed from the effort. The creature continued to scream down at their feet, and with the four of them separated over two places, Ezran just frowned as he watched the thing below them, “So… what do we do now? I think that thing is waiting for us down there. We don’t even have that much blood!”

“I know,” Rayla said in a moment of humour, cupping her mouth and shouting down, “We would be a very unsatisfying snack!”

On the other side, on the rock, Callum managed to climb off the wolf, who was looking tired from carrying him and the sudden attack. He looked over towards Rayla, and shook his head, “We don’t have a choice! We just have to wait it out!”

“Callum, how are you feeling?!”

“Better. I think the rest did me some good!” he shouted over to her, but rubbed the bite on his arm, “But… it’s still hurting!”

“Well lie down and rest. We just need to wait. Just hang in there alright?!”

He nodded and sat down, closing his eyes as he tried to relax with Ava lying down behind him. Ellis walked over and stared at him, fascinated, “I can’t believe I’ve met a real life dragon! You’re nothing like what I expected.”

Cracking an eye open, the teen turned his head to her, “What did you expect?”

“You know, bigger? Fire breathing? More scales. Less hairy,” she paused, “Maybe some super magic armour or something.”

“Maybe when I get to Xadia I’ll get some,” he teased, his tail slowly going over to her and tickling her cheek until she laughed.

“And you’re so strong!”

“It’s funny to hear someone say that,” he whimpered, “I don’t feel strong right now.”

“Really? I mean, you’re a dragon! You’re like this… magical, super power!”

“Maybe…” he sighed, holding his arm, “But not now.”

“Why not?”

“I’m too weak. I spent years chained to a wall,” he sighed in defeat, “I’m not strong enough to do any magic.”

“_Yet_,” Ellis added, holding his tail and brushing it softly, “But I’m sure with time, you’re going to be the most powerful dragon there ever was.”

He smiled at her, then leaned back against the wolf, “Thanks.”

~#~

Across from them, Rayla and Ezran sat on the branch, looking down at the creature slithering below. Rayla sighed as she looked down, “I’m sorry Ez, this is all my fault.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“If I hadn’t rushed us in there… we might have had a plan for whatever that thing is,” she sighed, looking down, “Then again… I’m sure it would have flopped.”

“Are you kidding?” Ezran held Bait close, “From what I can tell, you’re awesome at everything.”

“Well, it’s true. I am pretty awesome at everything,” she smirked at him a bit, but it then fell, “Right up until the moment it really matters. And that’s when I just… poof, screw things up.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. I hesitate, think too much, get confused about the right thing to do. And the next thing I know, I failed,” she leaned back and looked at the sky above them, “The morning I came to your castle, my team was discovered by a human guard. It was my job to chase him down and stop him. But when I caught him… he looked up at me, and he was so afraid. And then I just let him go…I don’t know why.”

“Because you felt for him.”

“But he was a human! My enemy.”

Ezran rolled his eyes, “Well yeah, but then you saw he was scared. And you knew he was a person, just like you.”

“That shouldn’t have mattered,” she huffed, “I had a job to do. Do you realize I’m an assassin who’s never killed anyone?”

“Uh, I think that’s a good thing,” he smiled, sitting up and dangling his legs over the edge of the branch, “And by the way, thanks for failing at your mission. I like being alive.”

“I’m glad you’re alive, Ezran.” She smiled, shifting a little closer to him, “Knowing you is definitely worth losing a hand for.”

“That’s the weirdest, nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

Her smile grew a little bigger, “Well, who knows, maybe this is my unlucky hand, so when it falls off, my luck will change!”

“That’s horrible.”

“Funny, though?”

“Funny _and_ horrible.”

Looking down, she watched the ground for a while before cupping her hand to her mouth, “Hey, guys?!” she shouted over to Callum and Ellis, “I think that thing might be gone!”

Callum and Ellis looked down as well, “Yeah, I can’t see it.”

“You two stay there, we will come over to you!”

Carefully, the elf, glow toad, and human climbed down and made their way over to the dragon, wolf, and human girl. They made sure to keep an eye open for the creature before waving them down.

Once they were together, Rayla watched the surroundings, “Haven’t seen it or heard it in a while. Seems like it moved on.”

“See ya sucker!” Ez chuckled, then looked at the confused dragon on the wolf’s back, “Get it? Because it’s a giant leech?” 

“I don’t get it,” the dragon mumbled, then shuddered.

Rayla touched his head once more, “He’s burning up. We need to get him out of here.” She looked around the trees, then nodded, “That thing’s probably gone, but let’s not risk it okay? There’s a little thing called irony, where just as you say one thing, like you’re really sure about it, that’s when the opposite happens.”

Ez shook his head, “Nah. Maybe that’s how things work in stories, but in the real world?” As they began to walk away… something large loomed behind them.

They looked back. The leech returned, and it soon attacked, chasing after each of them before deciding to settle on Ava and Callum as they ran around. It chased them both, while they tried to get away, the dragon holding on tight to the wolf’s back.

“Callum!” Rayla shouted, drawing her weapon and running towards the creature. “Leave him alone you big sucker!” she shouted as she jumped, and dug her blade into its back. The beast screamed and trashed around, dislodging her and throwing her to the ground.

It turned quickly to the elf and hissed, setting its attention fully on her. Its mouth was open, prepared to kill. The elf gasped as she lay petrified on the ground, unsure of what to do to help herself.

As the creature charged forward, she suddenly heard someone shout from behind it.

“Fulminis!”

At that moment, the creature was consumed by lightning, drawn to the dagger still lodged in its back. With the electricity running through it, it wasn’t long before it fell flat on the ground.

Ava hurried over to her with Callum on her back, the dragon climbing down and kneeling at her side, “Rayla! Are you alright?! Are you hurt?!”

“C-Callum… you… you did it! You… you did magic.”

He nodded at her, “I-I did.”

Her hand held his cheek and she looked into his eyes, “I’m so proud of you.”

He smiled back, but then noticed hundreds of small leaches coming from inside the massive one’s body. They headed straight for the elf and climbed over her, finding places to latch onto her skin.

She screamed as she tried to shake them off, “Help me! Get them off!”

Callum grabbed a few and pulled them off her, but more took their place. He glared, trying to get them before feeling something change, and he took a deep breath. “Aspiro!” he said before blowing towards her, his breath magically enhanced, blowing against the leeches, and dislodging them from her body.

Once free, Rayla smiled and looked back, the little leeches slithering away. “Where did _that _come from?” she laughed, but then heard something drop behind her. “Callum!” she reached out for him, but he appeared to be unconscious, his lips parted as he panted hard, and his whole body began to tremble.

The others hurried over and looked him over, “Is he alright?!”

“The poison feeds off magical energy,” she explained, stroking his hair back, “By using magic… he’s weakened himself.” Rayla looked at the others, “We don’t have much time left.”

“Ava!” Ellis called. The wolf quickly lied down and allowed them to get Callum onto her back. Once he was secure, the group hurried away from the dead monster and into the woods once more, urgency clear as they hurried on in silence.

As they turned a corner, Ellis suddenly gasped and pointed up over the mountains, “Look! Up there! That’s the tree!”

Seeing it wasn’t too far, Rayla smiled, “Yes, we’re almost there! We can do this!” she turned to Callum and held his hand, “You’re going to be alright Cal, we’re going to find the healer, just hold on alright?”

At that moment, Ava lowered her head and let out a small whimper. Ezran looked at her and rubbed her cheek before swallowing hard, “Oh no…”

“What is it Ez?”

The human sighed as he stepped forward, “I have really bad news. I don’t know how to tell you.”

“What is it? Just say it?”

“Even if we make it to the rim, it doesn’t matter…” he sighed, “There is no miracle healer.”

Rayla frowned at him, “What… what are you talking about? If you’re gonna say something like that, you owe us an explanation.”

“Okay,” Ez said softly, “Ava told me.”

The group looked at each other, then at the wolf who was looking at the ground, “But… Ez… she’s a wolf… she… she can’t talk.”

“No, it’s true!” he mumbled, “I can understand animals.”

“You… can understand animals?” Rayla questioned, “That’s… great… if it’s true but… it’s kinda hard to believe.”

The prince looked away and sighed, “I’ve always been different. It’s hard for me to make friends with other kids. I just feel like I don’t fit in.”

“That’s okay,” Rayla comforted, holding his shoulder and smiling, “Fitting in is boring anyway.”

“But with animals? Somehow, I have this connection.” He turned to Bait and patted his head, “And a few years ago, I realized I could understand what they were saying. Maybe… that’s why I get along so well with Callum… since he _is_ sort of an animal.”

“That may be true Ezran… but…” She softly stoked his hair back. “Something happened to Ava… and if there is anything up there… we have to try, for Callum. So come on, let’s keep moving.”

The human sighed, but nodded, “Alright… let’s get going.”

The group set off again, but Ava stopped and lied down quickly, seconds before Callum rolled off her back and began to squirm. Ezran was first at his side and held him still, “Rayla! He’s having a fit!”

“What do we do?”

“My dad had one once when he was ill. Just hold him still till it’s over!” he whimpered, holding the dragon down.

Painful moments passed, but finally, Callum settled and opened his eyes, looking around. “Ez?” he whispered.

“I’m here Callum.” He smiled, “How’re you feeling?”

“Tired… I’m… so… tired.”

Rayla held his face and made his eyes focus on her, “Callum, you need to try and stay awake.”

“R-Rayla…”

“Please, stay awake. You go to sleep now, you might not wake up again.”

He stared at her for a bit, then groaned, looking into the wolf’s fur as he was pulled onto Ava’s back. They carried on walking, and he forced past the sleep pulling at his mind. After a while, he began to mumble something, his head rising and falling as he concentrated.

Rayla leaned a little closer as they walked, and listened to what he was saying, “You’ll feel it… D-d-deep within the… the earth. Y-y-you’re all… always bound… bound t-to… to me,” he groaned, holding his arm and breathing heavily.

“Stay with us Callum, hang in there,” she said, looking around for something to keep his mind active, before spotting a glow from the bag on his back. Reaching into it, she grabbed the cube and held it towards him, “Hey, look, the moon rune’s glowing. Any ideas why?”

Taking it from her and holding it tight, the boy frowned, “W-why?”

“Well… is it… maybe… because the higher we walk, the closer we are to the moon? Do you think that would work?”

He frowned at his pain and her idea, “N-no… I-I don’t think that’s right.”

“Why’s that?”

He opened his mouth to speak, but instead gasped in pain, clinging to Ava’s fur to stop himself falling. When the pain passed, he was barely able to hold onto the box, dropping it into Rayla’s grasp. Putting the box back in his bag, the elf stayed close to him, stroking his brow, “It’s alright, just hang in there.”

As they continued on, they gradually noticed webs around the trees, and eventually, they blocked the path off completely. Glancing between Callum and the webs, Rayla stepped forward. “We can’t stop for this,” she said, pulling her blade out and cutting through the sticky substance. She slashed them a path until they came to a clearing surrounded by webs.

Ellis looked carefully around them, “Something’s watching us,” she whispered.

Rayla was also on edge, keeping her back to the wolf and her cargo. As they slowly made their way across the clearing, everyone looked around to watch for any sign of danger. When they got to the other side and another wall of webs, Rayla began to slice through it again before hearing a gentle tapping, then stopped. Looking straight up, a giant spider hung on the roof of webs before jumping down on top of them.

The group scattered to the side and they found a ledge to hide on, looking down at the creature, “How are we going to get past it?” Ellis asked.

“I don’t know. Callum’s too weak to use magic… and… I don’t think I can take it on with my hand.”

Ezran looked at the spider as it hung onto the roof once more, screaming at them. “Wait a second,” he stared at the creature, “Something’s not right, in a good way this time!”

Rayla frowned, “What are you talking about Ez?”

“We can walk right past it.”

“What?”

“It’s not real!” he laughed.

“That… doesn’t make sense.”

“Exactly! All those crazy chitters and screams, that’s not how spiders talk.”

She glared at him, then looked at the spider once more, “Ezran… that’s crazy. That thing wants to kill and eat us.”

“No, really, it’s not going to hurt us. It’s not real, promise! And I’m going out there to prove it,” he said, starting to walk past her and down below.

“Don’t! Ezran, no!” the Moonshadow shouted, reaching for him, but when he slipped out of her grasp, she could only watch as he went down and faced the spider.

It screamed in his face, but did nothing else. It didn’t touch him or attack him, just screamed, backing off slightly. He turned to the others and shouted up to them, “See! It’s not real! You can come down!”

Ellis and Rayla looked at each other. The spider continued to not attack him, not even bothered by him turning his back to it. It took a moment, but Rayla slowly walked down, looking at the spider closer, but even then it didn’t attack.

“Y-you’re right,” she gasped, turning to the others, “Ez is right! It’s safe!”

As Ellis and Ava came down with Callum, Ezran made faces at the spider. Rayla sighed as she looked at the human, then knelt to his level, “Ezran… I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. I… I owe you an apology.”

“Yeah… maybe.” He looked down, but then smiled at her, “But~ if you want to make it up to me…”

The elf nodded, “I do.”

“Then you can do the thing.”

“The thing?”

“The jerk face dance remember? You saw me teach it to Callum.”

A bright blush came to her cheeks and she looked back at Ellis, Ava, and the ill Callum, “Here? Now?”

“Come on, please?”

She bit her lip nervously before letting out a deep sigh, “Alright… but only a short one.” She stepped away, putting her hands under her arms and beginning to dance around in a circle, making her best goofy face. Ezran laughed at her and clapped along with her movements, watching her complete three laps before she stopped and did jazz hands, but then winced as her bound hand throbbed at the action.

Ellis joined in with the laughter and as they watched, they heard another low laugh, and saw Callum was conscious again, smiling at her. “Jerk face dance,” he mumbled.

The elf blushed, but pushed it down as she walked over to him, “Callum…”

“R-Rayla… it hurts… everything… hurts so much.” He winced, lying flat on Ava, “I-I-I’m so tired Rayla…”

“Stay with us Callum, it’s going to be alright.” She turned to the two children behind her, “Come on, we need to hurry!” One of her hands held the dragon’s face, listening to his breathing as it got shallower. She shook him each time his eyes closed, desperate to keep him awake.

They carried on up the path, and eventually made it to a ledge where a single, great, twisted tree was growing, reaching high above them. Ellis pointed at it in excitement, “This is it! We hid in that tree when the miracle healer found us!” She ran over and stood inside the hollow the roots had created. The wolf sniffed at the ground as she entered and looked around.

“Remember this place girl?”

Ezran looked around the space, but it seemed normal and empty. “So, now what? Do we just…” he cupped his hands to his mouth, “Uh, Miracle Healer? Hello! We’re here!”

Ellis just shrugged, “I don’t know. I just showed up, then she showed up. But… it isn’t working now.”

At that moment, behind them, was an impressive, bright light filling up the sky. Squinting at the brightness, Rayla turned around and looked back outside, “Actually, I think it’s working!”

They turned their eyes to the sky, just as the moon seemed to flash, and from that flash, a form began to fly towards them. As the light dimmed, a large creature with night blue feathers and long wings landed in front of them, the tip of the tail almost looking to be on fire. As it landed, the bird leaned forward and allowed someone on its back to climb off. A dark-skinned woman with long, white hair stepped forward, and a turquoise cape flowed behind her back to match her outfit.

The light finally stopped, and Rayla felt her heart drop. “Oh, no! Ez was right about everything,” she said, unwilling to face the truth, but she knew she had to. “That’s no miracle healer. She’s a fake!”

“What? How do you know?” Ellis asked with a frown.

“She’s a moon mage! An illusionist!” She glanced at Callum on Ava’s back, his eyes as hopeless as she felt at the realisation, “She…she can’t heal anything.”

The mage nodded, “It’s true. I am no healer. I am Lujanne, Guardian of the Moon Nexus.”

Rayla almost punched the mage in her frustration, but decided to stamp her foot instead, “Ugh, I’m such an idiot! I should have figured it out! That monster spider! It wasn’t real! It was an illusion!”

“Yes. They were there just to scare you. That’s how I protect the nexus.”

“But you don’t understand… we need a healer!” The elf shouted at her, running to Callum and moving him from Ava’s back to lie on the ground. She held his hand as he murmured in pain, “This is Cadonumis, child of King Avizandum and Queen Zubeia. The Dragon Prince!”

Lujanne gasped as she looked him over, “The prince…”

“But he’s dying! He was bitten by an Antacuda, and he used his magic to help us get here! We need a healer!”

The mage knelt by his side and held his face, looking at his eyes, but Callum could barely keep his eyes open anymore. “He’s so weak…” she whispered, her brow narrowed in worry, “But… I… I can’t help him. I don’t know any magic strong enough to save a dragon.” She looked at the others as they gathered around, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what I can do to help. His only hope now would be to expose him to a storm. The primal energy would help him recover.” She looked to the sky, “But there isn’t a cloud in sight.”

Opening his eyes a little, the dragon gave a pained groan, “R-Rayla,” he managed, looking around in a daze for her.

“It’s alright Callum, I’m right here,” she said, grabbing his hand and squeezing tight, “It’s going to be alright. We will find you a storm.”

“C-cube…”

“Cube?” she repeated, confused, “What about the cube?”

“G-glow…” he wheezed, eyes closing, “Sky…” He leaned back, unconscious, his breathing slowing.

Quickly the elf shook him. “No! Callum, wake up! You have to stay awake!” He didn’t respond, limp as she shook him. “Callum! Wake up!” she shouted once more, then thought about what he’d said. “Cube, glow, sky?” Rayla repeated, trying to work out what he wanted.

On his other side, Ezran thought as well, “The cube… the sky symbol on the cube… it glowed when it was near Callum…” his eyes widened in realisation, “And near that stone!”

The assassin caught onto his idea, “The primal stone! It’s a storm! If we break it… Quick Ez! Get it! It might be our only chance.”

Running to where his backpack had been left, Ez rummaged through until he had found it. He ran back to her, holding it out. While it was a shame to break such an ancient artefact, the prince’s life came first. Letting go of his hand, Rayla took the orb and placed it on the floor, drawing her blade, and taking aim over it.

“R-R-Rayla?…”

She froze and looked back at him coming around.

“I-I’m scared…”

“Don’t be Cal,” she comforted, taking his hand in her weak one, “I’m here.” And with that, she smashed the orb.

As soon as she did, a bolt of lightning shot up into the night sky, countless years of energy bursting free and causing clouds to quickly gather above. They blocked out the moon and stars as they swirled around, and the winds picked up, making all of them take shelter against the tempest. Beside her, Rayla noticed the winds were strong enough to lift Callum’s unconscious body upwards.

Fearing he’d be blown away, she grabbed him, her bad arm around his waist while she quickly stabbed the blade into the earth to ground them.

Debris whipped around them in the storm, and sometimes hit her arm, but Rayla refused to let him go.

Just as she thought she wouldn’t be strong enough to hold them both, the storm parted and began to spin around them. A vacuum had formed where the orb had broken. The group looked around at this rare sight, as lightning began to spark in the clouds around them.

As they watched, small sparks began to form in the centre, around Callum’s body, zipping across his arms before being absorbed into his skin. Slowly, his whole body began to spark, collecting on his wings and horns before slowly changing to become prisms of colour. An aura of light came from his body as he began to glow, and suddenly, he emitted a light that would put Bait to shame.

Everyone shielded their eyes from the light until it passed, and looked to see what had happened. The storm had dissipated and Callum was still lying where he had been before, but as they watched, he sat up with a sharp gasp and panted until his breathing steadied. He looked around for a moment, then smiled, “Ez, Rayla, Bait!”

The named people ran towards him and hugged him tight, his tail wrapping around them as well. Ez laughed as he pulled away a little, “We were so scared we lost you Callum!”

“I-I was scared too,” he confessed, “But… you saved me.”

“You worked it out Callum! You worked out that the stone could save you.”

“But you did it.”

“Always Callum,” Rayla chuckled.

Smiling at her, the dragon turned his attention to her wrist, “Your hand…”

“Ah, don’t worry. You’re safe now. One miracle is enough for me,” she said, cupping his cheek.

As he moved his hand to copy her, he froze when he noticed his fingers were no longer red, and his nails were now long sharp talons. Looking at them, he clenched his hand a few times, “T-that storm must have healed them,” he pondered, his brow furrowing in thought, “I wonder…”

Quickly, he grabbed Rayla’s bad arm and slid the tip of his talon under the ribbon. Ignoring her gasp of pain, he kept it under the band and stared at it, a sound forming at the back of his throat until he gradually began to tug.

A small spark ran from his hand to the ribbon, and it suddenly snapped free, falling to the ground between them.

As it fell, Rayla found herself beaming, her arm already feeling better and circulation returning. Relief filled her as she grabbed the dragon in a grateful hug, “Callum you are amazing!”

Chuckling, he nuzzled into her neck. “You too Rayla,” he whispered, only for her to hear, before leaning back and frowning, “Wait… why are you all…spinning?” he managed to ask, just before collapsing backwards.

“Callum!” everyone called as they looked at him.

The moon mage knelt by his head, and placed her hand on his brow before sighing, “He’s alright, just unconscious. That much primal energy probably did a number on him. He just needs to sleep and he’ll be fine,” she explained as she stood, “Help me carry him. I know somewhere he can rest.”

~#~

Hundreds of miles away, inside an enormous mountain, hidden in the clouds, a large blue egg glowed brightly for a brief moment.

Almost as if sensing its brother for the first time.

* * *

**RK: Man, can’t say enough how much it hurts to see my baby hurting. Like ahh! *clutches chest* Anyway, the end of season one has been reached! Yay! :D**

**SL: Yep! This is the end of season one! They have arrived at the Caldera and (in the show) Zym was hatched but for us, Callum’s life has been saved. Any side effects? You’ll just have to wait and see.**

**~#~**

**So, in keeping with a season’s end, Ray and I are going to take a week off from publishing the story. Instead, we would like to invite you all to ask any questions you may have. **

**Basically, it’s a Q&A! A chance to ask Ray and myself anything you want, but also, with the _magic _of fanfiction, you can also ask _the characters_! **

**That right! If you want to ask Rayla, Callum, or Ez, or anyone in the story a question, then ask away! **

**You have until Friday 31** **st** ** Jan 2020 which is when we will reply to them all.**

**So come on, you must have some burning away inside you? Ask as many as you wish, but remember to put ‘To ****’ so we know who you want to reply. **

**Leave a comment, review, or anything, and in one week, we will get back to you!**


	12. Season 1 Break - Questions and Answers

# Season 1 Break - Questions and Answers

**So it's been a week and we have had 16 questions. **

* * *

**From HiddenWorldQueen - To Amaya**

Hey Amaya, hope you ain't busy or anything. But I was wondering why didn't you go into Ezran's room and find that letter?

**From Amaya**

'I'm not aware of any letter. I was slightly more concerned with finding my nephew and saving him from the dragon and elf.'

* * *

**From Snowyflake62 - To Callum (after he wakes up) **

How are you feeling does your head still hurt does the bite still hurt do you want me to go kill that think in the water for you?

**From Callum**

"I-I have a little bit of a headache… but, I think I'm okay… and there's no need to kill it. The snake's all the way back in the frozen lake anyway. And… it was just protecting itself so… I don't see a reason to kill it."

* * *

**From Jeramyd - To Rayla **

Do you like Callum? He's such a sweet dragon boy, right?

**From Rayla**

Well, it's kinda hard not to like Callum. He's so kind and sweet, despite everything that's happened to him. I mean… it's beautiful.

* * *

**From Jeramyd - To Callum**

Did you feel an instant connection with Ezran when he helped rescued you? You are so protective of him!

**From Callum**

He was the first person in ten years to show me kindness. He's the one that showed me all humans aren't evil, unlike Master Viren. Not only was he kind to me, but he's just a boy, younger than even me. It's…It's my duty to keep him safe.

* * *

**From Jeramyd – To Authors**

Are you planning to continue staying somewhat close to canon or do you want to diverge more?

**From Story**

We are staying as close to canon as we can but obviously there are some changes along the way. No spoilers but at one point we are introducing a completely new OC.

**From Ray**

The first season stayed pretty close to canon. As the story progresses, and as more characters are introduced, the story begins to diverge more and more. I will not spoil what changes however. I am no spoiler. ^^

* * *

**From DragonReaperKing – To Ray or Story**

Will Callum be able to connect to all six primal sources at some point?

**From Ray:**

Well, he won't _ master _ the Six Primal Sources. He's a sky dragon, and will wield sky magic…However, there's nothing saying he can't utilize other sources to some degree…I will not say more. ^-^

**From Story: **

Yeah, no spoilers but I really wanted Cal to be able to use all sources… but… plans change. Doesn't mean they can't change back again…

* * *

**From Jeramyd – To Authors**

How often do you share ideas and work together as you write?

**From Story:**

Pretty much every day on Discord. I don't think there is a single day we don't talk about something Dragon Prince related, right ray?

**From Ray:**

Pretty much. Every day we barf up something to share. X3

**From Story:**

Yeah, _ barf _ is the word. Word vomit from us both. Get an idea; just vomit it out and then try and see if it would work or work as a prompt

* * *

**From Leafeon12– To Authors**

I was wondering since this Callum has a primal Arcanum of sky magic will want to learn other magic from other primal sources?

**From Story:**

As we said to DragonReaperKing in question 6, plans change.

**From Ray:**

Well...I don't really plan on changing what we've got. But hey, I'm open-minded to some things sprinkled here and there.

* * *

**From Leafeon12– To Authors**

Will Callum soon be a big brother and get his own dragon form?

**From Story:**

Sorry! No spoilers!

**From Ray:**

We ain't gonna say! That'd be spoilers! X3

* * *

**From Dogthulhu - To Storylady35 and Ray-Ken**

What are the limits of dragon shape shifting? Do they have a humansona, an elfsona, and a combinationsona? or do they just have one bipedsona?

**From Story: **

What do you say Ray? Do we tell them?

**From Ray:**

Well...I mean...I'm just gonna say...you'll find out soon enough. :)

* * *

**From Xranger00 - To the Authors: Do Callum, Rayla and Ezran have the same age as in the series?**

**From Ray: **

Yes. Truly, an original answer. XD

**From Story:**

Short, simple and to the point... for once.

**From Ray:**

Hey, I am somewhat offended! I'm not that bad.

**From Story: **

So yes, Callum is 14, Rayla 15 and Ezran 10.

**From Ray:**

No, Callum is 14 and three-quarters. Ugh, get it right Story. X3

* * *

**From ItzWolfiKun - To Rayla**

If you had to choose, who would you save? Callum or Ezran? (Im evil, i know >:3)

**From Rayla:**

I...I would do my best to save them both. I’d be willing to sacrifice myself for them if that was an option. But...if I _had_ to choose, I would...probably save Callum...he’s the only hope left for Xadia. If he returns to his home alive and well, Xadians will consider peace as an option.

* * *

**From ItzWolfiKun - To Callum**

Whats/whos your favorite thing/person to draw? 

**From Callum:**

Well, I like to draw anything I want to really. But I like flowers because they have such a range of shapes. And I like people because they are so expressive. And scenery because they are so beautiful! Ez told be about ‘abstract’ once, where you draw whatever you want.... didn’t like it. I like to copy things from my memory or what I can see.

* * *

**From ItzWolfiKun - To Ezran**

How many jelly-tarts can you eat in one sitting?

**From Ezran: **

I haven’t really counted exactly. But I know I’ve eaten two whole trays in a sitting before!

* * *

**From ItzWolfiKun - To Ray **

How obessed are you with all of the ships? (I personally LOVE the ships you and story are adding)

**From Ray**

Well, Rayllum is the primary ship, and I planned for it to be that way when I first thought of the concept. At this point, everyone knows I’m obsessed with the wholesome, beautiful phenomenon that is Rayllum. Now...for the other ships. If anyone follows my art, they’ll know I kinda like Soren x Pyrrah, especially for this AU. It’s a really interesting ship I’ve been working on with Story, and we have PLENTY of extras for when the time comes. ^-^

* * *

**From ItzWolfiKun - To Story **

Will there be any custom-made charaters in the story? (By custom-made i mean like brand new, never-been-in-the-show-before charaters?)

**From Story**

Yep, there will be a few custom made characters popping up. Heck I even created **deleted due to spoilers**

* * *

**SL: So thanks everyone for the Questions! It was really great to answer them and know how you're feeling. Breath of Hope will be back next Friday!**

**In the meantime, please check out "The Dragon Prince: Breath of Hope Extras and Prompts" on our AO3 and Wattpad versions. and DeviantART are not getting this new bonus story so if you are reading this on either of those forms, you'll have to swap I'm afraid.**


	13. Chapter 11 – Dragon Guard

#  **Chapter 11 – Dragon Guard**

** **

Callum slowly groaned as he came around, his eyes blinking as he adjusted to the light around him. He soon realised he wasn’t outside, but in a small, round building that twisted and turned like a tree. The walls were decorative, and there were a few furnishings while something soft, light, yet warm covered him. Apparently, he was lying in a bed, looking up at the peaked roof above. 

As his eyes recovered, he looked at the foot of his bed and spotted the silver-haired assassin. She sat, blade in hand, looking off towards the door of the room. He smiled softly. “Fighting off bad dreams?” he asked, causing her to turn around.

“Callum, you’re awake!”

“Rayla… where are we?” As he sat up, the cover slipped down to reveal he was currently shirtless and his wings were spread wide across the covers. 

“We’re inside the Moon Nexus.”

“The what?”

“I’ll explain later. All you need to know is that we’re safe. Lujanne’s illusions are hiding this place…” She moved up the bed to his side and stroked his cheek gently, “How are you feeling?”

“Hungry… and my head hurts,” he confessed, rubbing his brow.

“Well, you did just have the full power of a storm flow into you.”

He chuckled. “As long as I don’t go spitting out lightning.”

“If you do, just make sure I’m not nearby,” she teased back before frowning. She held his chin and turned his head to the side. “Callum… your scar…”

“My scar?” 

“You had a scar on your right cheek but… it’s gone.”

“What?”

“Let me see your hands.” Rayla grabbed them before he could offer them up. She quickly unwrapped one of his bandages and gasped when she saw flawless, scaled skin. 

Amazed by the sight, Callum quickly undid the other wrist and found the same thing. He stretched out his wings and saw that they too were healed. There were no scars or tears anywhere.

A shocked laugh got stuck in his throat before he chuckled, leaning towards Rayla, and nuzzling her neck. “You should have broken that thing ages ago!” he teased.

“Oh get off you big lizard!” she laughed, pushing him back a little just as he tried to lean further in. As a result, they ended up nose to nose, looking right into each other's eyes.

Callum froze as he stared, admiring the pale purple and the specks of silver within them. For some reason, his head hurt even more when he looked into those beautiful orbs.

Rayla, meanwhile, just looked into his reptilian eyes, searching for signs of his internal thoughts. She could still tell he was scared and pained by his memories, but the pain from his body was gone. He looked  _ whole, _ at least on the outside.

That made her smile, and she boldly leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Silly lizard,” she whispered softly.

Callum blushed and thought about what to say, when there was a cough from the door. They both turned to see the moon mage at the entrance, a tray of food in her hands. 

“Am I interrupting?”

The dragon almost said yes, but the food made him shake his head. “Is that for me?”

“I thought you might be hungry.”

“Starving.”

Rayla smiled as she stood and allowed Lujanne to take her place. “I’ll let you eat and tell Ez you’re alright. He’s been worried.”

Despite not wanting her to go, Callum nodded and turned instead to the food. He tried to eat civilly, but he was so hungry, it was hard to stay slow.

After reporting to Ezran that Callum was awake and alright, Rayla decided she needed some time alone, and went to find a quiet spot in the nexus.

She eventually found a small cliff that looked out over the surrounding forest, hiding everything within from the world below. Rayla sighed, thinking about what could have happened if they  _ hadn’t _ made it in time.

“Rayla?”

She turned at the call and smiled as Callum walked towards her, fully dressed now. “Hey, how you feeling?”

“Better. So much better,” he said, twisting to the side and stretching out his wings, “That Primal Stone has made me feel  _ really _ good.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“Lujanne thinks I might even be strong enough to shift.”

“Really?”

“Maybe not to a full dragon,” he confessed, “But I might be able to go full human. It might help if we go to another human town.”

“That would be good,” she agreed before turning her attention back to the view. 

Looking out as well, the dragon stared at the sky, his tail subconsciously moving to her side, and gently touching her leg. For a bit, he stood in silence before releasing a deep breath. “Rayla… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the bite sooner. I was… I was just so angry at you for hiding things from me,” he sighed, “Is… is there anything else you haven’t told me?”

She turned to him and stared into his eyes, watching the wind mess with his hair and clothes. “There… there  _ is  _ something, Callum.” She prepared herself to tell him about the King of the Dragons, or Ezran’s dad, but the words failed her. Instead, she chose to correct a lie. “Remember when I said… my parents were dead?”

“Yes?”

“They aren’t.” She looked out beyond the horizon. “But I wish they were. They’re cowards.”

“What do you mean?”

“My parents were part of an elite force, the Dragonguard, eight elven warriors chosen to protect the royal dragon family.” She sighed, looking at him again, “You are the first prince born in hundreds of years. It’s so rare for an archdragon to have a child…you’re such a rare and precious thing. And the Dragonguard are the best of the best, sworn to protect you and your family. But when the humans came and…” she paused, tears in her eyes, “Callum… I’m sorry… but the humans… they… they killed the Dragon King. T-They killed… your father.” 

Oddly, he didn’t react. 

“I know.”

“You know?”

“Master Viren… he… he took delight in telling me. He told me…  _ how _ he did it.”

“Oh Callum, I’m so sorry.”

“But I don’t understand… what does this have to do with  _ your _ parents?”

She forced back tears, determined to tell him the truth. “That day… the day they came to the Storm Spire… the Dragonguard, my parents, failed in their duty. Even worse… they ran away. They… they ran from the tower… they abandoned their post, their king… they abandoned you, Callum. And for that… I’m so ashamed.”

He stared at her in silence, keeping the distance between them, but there was something in his eyes as she spoke. 

“So, you see, that’s why I have to make things right. When I first came to the human kingdoms, I was on a quest for revenge. But the moment I saw you… when I realised who you were… everything changed. Now, this is a journey of redemption, to redeem the mistake my family made. And I won’t ever fail you as they did!”

His gaze fell to the ground. “Rayla… what were your parents’ names?”

“Why?”

“Please… what were they? Tell me.”

She looked confused, but he just kept staring at his feet, brow furrowed.

“Tiadrin and Lain…But why do you want to know? They’re traitors. They failed. They ran away.”

His concentration grew. “No…” he whispered softly, “No… no they… they didn’t.”

“What did you say?”

“Tiadrin… was your mother. She… she used to bring Moonberries for me… and she… she-she had your eyes,” he muttered, thinking harder, “And… Lain, your father… I remember he’d… he’d ruffle my hair and… tell me stories… and had markings like yours on his face… and you have horns like his… and… and your smile is the same.”

Hands over her mouth, Rayla fought back tears. “You…remember?”

“Bits. Little things,” he sighed, rubbing his forehead at the headache it was causing him.

“Do you remember what happened? To my parents?”

His gaze turned to her, and she could tell it was not a memory he wanted to recall. But Callum saw hope in her eyes, and that gave him the courage. He closed his eyes again and thought back, “I… I remember being in this large room… and they were there… there were others but… I remember them being there the most. They… kept me away from the entrance. They didn’t want me to see something outside… and then… they told me to hide. To go to the back, and hide…” he frowned, trying to remember, “I heard shouting… something about… how it was hopeless? But then… it was quiet until there was fighting… shouts and… it was cold suddenly, and… I remember hearing Lain shout out… something about a mistake… and then Tiadrin… saying something was wrong with him… then… then…” He frowned even more, but then just shook his head, turning to his friend, “I’m sorry, that’s all I remember.”

“But they were there? They fought? T-they didn’t run away?”

“No, they were there. They fought.”

Tears rolling down her cheeks, the elf grabbed him and hugged him tight, crying into his shoulder. Callum remembered when the positions had been reversed, and what Rayla had done for him. He reached up and gently stroked her hair back. She chuckled after a moment, turning her head towards him. “You’re copying me.”

“Well, it makes me feel better… I thought it would help you too.”

“Yeah, it does.”

His other arm held her close, and his tail wrapped around her to offer some form of comfort. “I didn’t mean to upset you Rayla. I’m sorry.”

“I’m not upset. I’m… I’m glad. For ten years, I thought my parents were cowards… that they ran away… but they didn’t. They fought.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened to them.”

“You have given me hope. That’s more than I ever dreamed of.” She leaned back from him and wiped the tears from her eyes.

The prince smiled softly, reaching out and wiping her cheek for her, “Rayla…”

“If it’s alright Callum, I’d like to be alone for a bit.”

She was already preparing herself to argue with him about it, but surprisingly, he nodded and let go. “Come back when you’re ready,” he said, walking off towards the nexus.

Once he was gone, Rayla sat on the ground and looked at the horizon, processing what she’d been told. Years of anger and hurt towards her parents, dimmed at the news. It was still there, but it was so much lighter now.

It was only hunger that made her leave the spot and head back. She tried to find food and check up on the others. Coming across a bowl of apples, she helped herself, walking around as she ate. She searched around for everyone else, and eventually found the four of them huddled together, speaking in hushed voices.

She tried to approach them to see what they were talking about, but a familiar croak announced her presence, causing the group to break apart. The other Moonshadow elf was grinning ear to ear as she looked at Rayla, biting her lip for some reason. Ezran was trying and failing to look innocent, Ellis was pretending to be interested in a stone on the ground, and Callum just looked oddly smug.

The behaviour made her frown. “You lot are up to something.”

“ _ Up to something _ ? Oh no, no, no. We’re not  _ up to something, _ ” Lujanne said, still beaming.

“Who, us?” Ellis shook her head, “Nope, nothing going on here.”

“Yes. We are not doing anything,” Ez added monotonously.

Suspicion growing, Rayla turned to the dragon who was also smiling. Luckily, he didn’t look as crazy as Lujanne.

“What’s going on Callum?”

“Nothing for you to worry about Rayla,” he said cryptically, “Promise.”

She frowned a bit, then nodded, “Alright… but I’m keeping my eye on you four.” She pointed between her eyes and then back at them to prove her point. As she walked away, she heard them return to their whispers, but decided to let it slide for now.

For the next few hours, as she prepared for their imminent departure, she kept spotting odd behaviour from each of them. She spotted Ellis carrying a massive bunch of fungus, then later, she saw Ezran picking up stones, inspecting them, then throwing them away. Even Bait was acting odd. She spotted him carrying a long stick in his mouth and dragging it away.

Callum and Lujanne appeared to be actively avoiding her, turning and running the other direction as soon as they saw her. Both of them had big, goofy grins on their faces.

She let them be, but her curiosity was growing every time something weird happened.

As the sun began to set, she found that they all had disappeared. So, she spent the time tending to her blades, glad to have two hands to do it with now.

A croak got her attention, and she turned to the grumpy glow toad behind her. “Well, at least you’re acting normal,” she smirked at him.

Bait croaked again, then turned and hopped down the path. After a few jumps, he stopped and looked back at her with another croak.

“You want me to follow you?”

Glowing a playful pink, he hopped again and looked back. Guessing she was right, Rayla stood up and followed him. He led her down the path, and up to the Moonhenge where she couldn’t help but freeze with a small gasp. Pale blue lanterns floated in the air above them, and glowing butterflies fluttered around in the twilight. A carpet of dark red leaves led from where she stood, all the way to the other side of the henge. There, Ezran, Ellis, Lujanne, and Callum waited.

Callum stood right at the front of the leaf carpet, and somehow, had changed clothes. He wore a long, silver and blue jacket with a white cloak down his back, and it was held in place by a golden clasp shaped like the sky rune. In his hands, was an ornate sword, and on his head, a simple crown that held a blue stone in the centre.

As amazement turned into confusion, Rayla walked down the path towards them. “What’s going on?” 

“Shhh!” Ez whispered, finger to his lips before he smiled and looked at Callum.

The prince cleared his throat, and spread his wings a little more as he stood proudly. “Rayla, for the last few weeks, you have shown that you are a formidable warrior, an amazing strategist, and a brilliant friend. You are brave, kind, smart, and determined. Your heart is full of strength, and holds both light and love for everything you do and everyone you meet.”

Rayla couldn’t help but blush at the words. “Callum-”

“You saved my life,” he continued, “You gave me hope and freedom. You have protected me from danger, both from others and myself. You are the greatest ally I could ask for Rayla. And as such, I wish to reward you.” His smile grew a little, “Kneel.”

“What?”

“He said ‘kneel’ Rayla,” Ez whispered again, “Come on, he’s worked really hard on this.”

Seeing the dragon’s slight embarrassment, the assassin rolled her eyes and got on one knee. 

Smiling briefly at her, Callum lifted his head up again. “Rayla, as thanks for your diligence, your loyalty, your kindness, and your… your… your…”

“Dedication,” Lujanne reminded from behind her hand. 

“Yeah, dedication! Diligence, loyalty, kindness, and dedication, it is my wish as the Dragon Prince of Xadia, to officially appoint you…” He lifted the sword in his hands and gently placed it on her shoulder before moving it to the other, “To the Dragonguard, charged with protecting Xadia, and all within its land. To help protect and honour the memory of those before.”

Carefully, he passed the sword over to the illusionist while Ellis stepped forward with a small pillow. She held it out for Callum, who took a beautiful, iridescent, metal badge from it. It had the engraved symbol of a dragon with its wings in the front, almost like a shield.

Stepping forward, Callum knelt and carefully pinned it to her jacket, right over her heart. He smiled as she watched it shine, and he stood back up. “You are no longer an assassin Rayla. From now on, you are my Dragon Guard.” Stepping back, he nodded and held out his hand, “Arise, Rayla of the Dragon Guard.”

She stood, a mix of amazement and amusement on her face. “Thank you, Callum. I swear I will make you proud.” Her hand touched the badge, “But… you know it doesn’t work like that right?”

“Yeah, I had to enterprise.”

“Improvise,” Ez chuckled.

“Sorry, improvise,” he corrected, “We all worked hard to make it the best we could for you.”

“But… why?”

“I wanted to do something for you. To show you how grateful I am to have you Rayla.” He reached out and took hold of her hand, “You’re worth it. You’re amazing, and I wanted you to know it.”

With a slight blush on her cheeks, the new guard nodded. “Thank you… I appreciate it.”

“Well, as I said, you’re worth it,” he smiled, leaning over and nuzzling the side of her face, “I wouldn’t want anyone else protecting me. You are the most important person in the world to me Rayla.”

Laughing, she pushed him back playfully. “Get off you silly lizard!”

* * *

**SL: Okay, yes, the truth about Rayla’s parents comes out in season three and this is season two, but you know what else this is? Our AU, so we can bend the rules. Plus… Dragon Guard Rayla RULES! I mean, technically Callum ** ** _rules, _ ** **but… you know what I mean.**

**RK: Now it’s her ** ** _literal job _ ** **to protect Callum. ^-^**


	14. Chapter 12 – Hominum Matintio

#  **Chapter 12 – Hominum Matintio**

** **

Rayla couldn’t stop smiling as she looked down at her reflection in the water. Her eyes were instantly drawn to the badge on her jacket. It was silly, but the simple thing made her smile intensely. She knew it wasn’t real, just an illusion; a simple rock Ezran had found and then coated in moon opal dust so it would hold, even when away from Lujanne.

But it still meant so much to her, thinking about the dragon in his illusion cloak, made of the fungus Ellis had been collecting. The stick turned into a sword, touching her shoulders. It was a human action Ezran had told them about, since none of them knew how a Dragon Guard was really appointed. The image would be seared into her memory.

“Rayla?”

She turned at the voice and nodded at the moon mage, “Lujanne.”

“Can I speak with you for a moment?”

The newly appointed guard walked over to her, “What is it?”

“I wanted to tell you about the other night.” She looked to the sky, “After we had helped Callum into bed, I sensed something. There was this… bright light across the sky, and these wisps floated down right over the nexus, but mainly over where Callum was sleeping.”

“What could it mean?”

“I don’t know. But it’s something I wanted you to know about,” she gave her a smile, “Seeing as you’re a Dragon Guard now.”

Smiling and touching the badge once more, Rayla nodded, “Well… thank you for letting me know.”

“I also wanted to tell you, Callum asked me if I would teach him how to shift. I hope that’s alright with you.”

“He did mention it. It will delay our departure for a day, but it’s something he needs to learn. While you do, I’m going to patrol the area, make sure everything’s alright.”

“Very well. I will do my best to help him learn,” she said, heading back to the main nexus, and searching for the prince. She soon found him sat with Ezran, talking. “Your highness?”

The dragon turned to her and smiled shyly, “J-Just Callum is enough.”

“Callum. If you are free, we can go and try to help you shift… if you wish.”

Standing, the teen nodded, “Yes, please, I would.”

“Then come with me. There is somewhere that will help you channel your powers.” She turned and walked down the path, the dragon hurrying to walk at her side. 

They walked silently around the ruins that were hidden in the mountain until they came to a long stairway. “You see, Callum, there is Primal Energy everywhere. And while it surrounds us constantly, it may be weaker or stronger at different times and places. The ocean is strongest at high tide, sky is strongest in a storm, and the moon is strongest when it’s full.”

The prince nodded in understanding, listening carefully as they walked up the stairs. He was slightly surprised when he realised he wasn’t out of breath from climbing them. He really  _ was  _ stronger now.

“And there’s more. There are six special places where the magic of the Primal Energies are most pure and powerful in this world. Such a place is called a nexus,” she explained as they reached the top, looking out over the large lake before them. The water was contained within a basin of rocks while trees grew out from the source. Lujanne held her hand over the edge as she showed him the view, “This is the Moon Nexus.”

Looking over, the prince smiled softly. “It’s beautiful.”

“When the night comes, it reflects the moon perfectly, and when the moon is full, its light completely fills the lake. But it’s more than beautiful Callum, it’s powerful. Close your eyes and listen.”

“Listen?”

“Dragons like you can hear it.”

“Hear what?”

She just smiled at him, “Try it and see.” 

He frowned, but then closed his eyes, head lowered as he tried to listen for whatever she was talking about. Slowly, he began to hear it, gradually getting louder until it was all he could hear. “It… its singing,” he whispered, opening his eyes and looking out over the water. The music began dying down in his ears. “I can hear… singing.”

“That is the power of the nexus. It’s the moon’s Primal Energy stored within the water, land, and sky surrounding this place.” The mage looked out over the water. “I can hear it sometimes, when I meditate for hours, but dragons are so connected to the Primal Sources that you don’t even need to try.”

“How is that going to help me shift?”

Looking at him, the mage took a deep breath. “Think of it like this; magic, for all creatures, has to reach a power level. Like filling a cup with water.” She held out her hands and slowly, an illusionary cup and glass appeared in her hands. The fake water was poured into the cup. “When you fill it to the top, you can do the spell. Some spells require a lot of magic…” the cup changed its size to something much bigger, “While others take a smaller amount,” then the cup shrank to prove her point.

Callum watched her, slightly confused. “I still don’t understand.”

“When you are near a nexus, the magic flows into you naturally. Like a metal rod conducts lightning.”

He frowned at that. Seeing his confusion only growing, the mage thought for a moment, then made the illusionary glass vanish, holding out her hand. Quickly, her hand drew a rune in a dark, sparkling form, and she spoke. “Imperium Viventem.” The rune glowed then vanished, and she turned back to him. “Look now.”

He looked at the nexus again, and saw waves of rainbow light coming down from the sky and into the water, making the whole surface glow with power. “Wow,” he breathed, tail wagging in amazement. He watched the light being spread across the ground and up into the trees. Then, he noticed the same waves of light were coming up along the ground towards him. They climbed up his legs, tail, and into his body. “What is this?”

“It’s the power of the nexus. That spell has just allowed you to see it.”

“It’s… going into me… but not you?”

“As I said, I could connect to the nexus with rituals and meditation or on a full moon, but you? You can connect to any nexus and use it for your own power. It will restore any depletions and triple whatever power you already have as long as you are close to it. And if you came here at night, it would be even stronger for you. That is what will help you shift.”

“So… how do I do it?”

“I want you to close your eyes again, and this time, I want you to listen to the magic of the nexus. Breathe with it. Connect your heart, your strength, and your power to the magic. Search yourself for what you want to become, and when you are ready, say the words ‘hominum matintio.’ It’s the draconic words for shifting to human form. Then, there is dragonic matintio, the dragon change, and dryadalis matintio, the elf form. Hybrida matintio is what you use to come back to your current hybrid form.”

“Hominum, dragonic, dryadalis, hybrida?”

“That’s right. Although, you will need to be a lot stronger, physically and mentally, to use the dragonic or dryadalis. For now, concentrate on hominum and hybrida.”

The dragon did as he was told, leaning on the railing overlooking the water, and closing his eyes. He listened to the music, finding the beat in the sounds, and breathing in sync with the tune. As he did, he felt it coming towards him, getting louder as it began pulling into his chest. He felt the power inside him, what he called on when he did his magic, but it was now so much larger, and it felt like it was getting bigger with every second.

He pictured a human in his mind: wings and tail gone, no horns or talons. He frowned a little as he connected the image to the magic inside him. 

“Hominum matintio,” he said softly.

For a moment, nothing happened, but then, he felt the power briefly deplete, and slowly refill. He opened his eyes and looked at the moon mage. She gave him a smile and bowed her head. 

~#~

As beautiful as the nexus was, and as proud of her illusions as Lujanne was, the news of these ominous, glowing orbs disturbed Rayla’s mind.

She was patrolling the perimeter once again when a snap in the woods got her attention. She turned quickly with her swords ready. “Who’s there?!” she shouted, spotting a figure in the shadows, “Show yourself!”

“At least I didn’t sneak up on you,” came a familiar voice.

“Callum?” she frowned, looking at him closer. She was surprised she hadn’t recognised him. As he stepped away from the dark, she quickly realised why. “You shifted!” she praised with a smile.

His horns, wings, scales, and tail were all gone, and his teeth were much smaller now along with his rounded nails. He smiled back at her. “Aye, that I did,” he said in her thick, ‘human accent’, “I’m just a simple human me.”

The elf laughed. “I think your disguise is a bit better than mine.”

“Well, I do have a  _ slight _ advantage,” he teased as he moved forward, stumbling a little and holding his arms out for balance. “Whoa…”

“You alright?”

“Still getting used to the balance. No tail is strange,” he explained as he gradually joined her on the path.

Looking him over, Rayla nodded, “You look good. For a human that is.” She smirked when she saw some blush on his cheeks, “So, can you shift back?”

He nodded eagerly. “Seems so. Whenever I want to, and only certain parts if I want!” he chuckled, and glanced back as he allowed his tail to reappear. “See? Balance restored.”

“Impressive.”

“It’s like a door has been opened for me… and I can go through it whenever I want. I just think of what I want, and mentally say the words. I don’t even have to say them out loud,” he explained as his tail vanished once more, “I can’t change into an elf, or into a ‘full dragon’ as Lujanne called it, but… surely this is a good sign.”

“It is. It’s a really good sign for you,” the elf agreed, “And to be honest, this form is probably of more use to us right now. We still have a lot of human territory to get through before we reach Xadia.”

Nodding, he looked out over the forest before lifting his head a little, “Rayla, as nice as it is here, we need to leave soon.”

“What?”

“Something isn’t right. It’s like… something is following us. I can feel it. We need to go, before it can find us.”

Surprised by his insight into the situation, the Moonshadow elf nodded. “I agree. Something is coming.”

“Then we get Ez, and we leave as soon as we can.”

Rayla agreed, looking him over again as he stared at the forest. His eyes were narrow in concentration. 

“You know… you’re different.”

Looking back at her, he smirked. “Well, I  _ am _ currently human.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Oh?”

“There is something about you that is just…. It’s like you’ve…” She shook her head, unable to think of the right word.

“Grown?” he suggested, “Yeah, I have. I didn’t realise it at first, but now I can feel it.” He looked at his human hand, “Maybe it was the storm, maybe it was shifting, or being close to the nexus, but something is different about me. I’ve changed. And to be honest Rayla, I like it. I feel stronger now, like I could take on the world.”

“Well, that’s good, because the world is against us right now,” she smiled, then tilted her head with a slight frown. “Callum, there was something I wanted to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“Before, when you were poisoned… you were singing something. Do you remember what?”

Perplexed over the odd question, Callum thought, then nodded. 

_ “High above the stars shine and guide my dear,  _

_ And the moon turns and smiles, _

_ So remember there is no need to fear. _

_ As the waters flow to sea,  _

_ Know the winds will take you home, _

_ And bring you back to me. _

_ Here within my arms,  _

_ Know you’re safe, _

_ Forever sealed in memories, _

_ And love’s true grace. _

_ With sunlight in your heart,  _

_ You’ll know I’m here for you, _

_ Upon the earth, we never need part. _

_ You’re always close to me, _

_ As you sleep child of mine, _

_ And dream of the world you will see. _

_ Around you the magic of Xadia flows, _

_ And leads you onwards, _

_ Where fear never goes.” _

Hearing him say it so clearly made Rayla blush a little. “You have a really nice singing voice,” she confessed, then coughed to hide her fluster, “But, do you know what it is?”

“No. Why? What is it?”

“It’s an ancient Xadian lullaby,” she said with a smile. 

“It is?”

“Yeah. Do you remember where you heard it?”

He frowned slightly, and it was clear his memories had not yet returned completely. “I remember this woman… she was near me and singing it,” he reached for his sketchbook, flipping through the pages until he came to the one image he wanted. “Here. This is her.”

He passed the book over, and on the page, Rayla looked to the drawing he was pointing at. It only took up half the page, but it showed a woman with a small, gentle smile on her lips. Her hair was long and tied elegantly behind her head with a decorative band holding it in place over her shoulder. Another band of some kind rested on her brow with a teardrop hanging in the centre. Her hair parted over four separate horns, and her ears were pointed. There was a hint of her clothing in the drawing, a dress with a clasp at the very front. But despite the detail around her, there was something missing.

The image had no eyes.

“I can’t remember them…” Callum said when he saw Rayla’s confusion, “Her eyes. No matter how hard I try, I can’t remember what her eyes look like. Sometimes, I can hear her singing, or laughing, but… never her eyes.”

Rayla looked at the incomplete picture for a while longer before passing it back to him, “Callum, I know who this is.”

“What? You do?”

“Yes.”

“Who? Who is it?” he asked a little sharply, so close to this lost memory.

Rayla just smiled. “She’s your mother.”

The dragon froze. “My…” he started, but couldn’t say it, his eyes going back to the book, “How-how do you know?”

“This here,” she pointed to the pin on her dress, “It’s the seal of the royal family. They are the only ones allowed to wear it. This is your mother in her hybrid form.” She paused, giving him a chance to take it in, “This is Queen Zubeia.”

Feeling a little light headed, Callum smiled. “She’s my mother,” he whispered, staring at the drawing. “She’s beautiful. Have you met her? What’s she like?” 

“I’m sorry Cal, but I’ve never met her. I only saw her once,when my parents took me to the Storm Spire. They took me to see where they worked while they were away, but… I never spoke to her. I was barely four years old.”

While down hearted, he didn’t look upset at the news, and looked at the image again. “I wish I could remember her.”

“You will, give it time.”

He smiled, then closed the book, placing it over his shoulder once more. “Rayla… thank you.”

“For what?”

“For everything,” he said, leaning over and gently, but quickly, kissing her cheek. 

Feeling her whole body tense, she quickly stepped back. “Silly lizard,” she muttered as she turned her back on him.

“Yeah, I am,” he smiled, then reached over to the side where some blue roses were growing. He carefully picked one, and kissed the petals before holding it out for her, “To keep you company while you’re keeping us safe.”

Blushing, the former assassin took it from his hand and smiled. “You should go get some sleep. With you able to shift now, we need to get ready to leave soon.”

“I will let Ezran know,” he agreed, then headed back towards the sleeping quarters the moon mage had allowed them to use.

Rayla watched him leave before looking at the rose in her hand. She smelled it before raising it to her lips, kissing the same petal the prince had just a moment ago. Then, she headed on down the path, looking for the dangers she knew were coming. However, as she walked, she felt an exhaustion coming over her. She was finding it hard to walk and think, her eyelids feeling like lead as she forced herself down the path.

She squeezed the rose tight as she found herself collapsing on the path, unable to stay awake a moment longer. 

Behind her, out of the bushes, came two figures: the two children of the dark mage. The sorceress was playing some kind of instrument, while her brother covered his ears. As the song came to an end, the dark mage glared at the sleeping elf and turned to her brother. “Go on. Do it,” she commanded as he drew and raised his sword. Yet, he hesitated. 

“What are you waiting for? She’s a Moonshadow elf. We deal with her, then we deal with the dragon. They kidnapped the prince! You just have to-”

“I know!” he interrupted, but then looked down at the elf lying at his feet, “I’ve just never attacked someone who’s sleeping before. It doesn’t seem…sporting.”

Claudia did not look impressed at his dilemma. “You want me to wake her?” 

Her brother nodded slightly.

“And how long do you need her to be awake for it to be sporting? Ten seconds? Five?”

“One second,” he answered honestly.

“Okay…” the dark-haired woman said with a shrug, “On three. One, two –”

At that moment, Rayla opened her eyes and quickly kicked Soren’s legs out from under him. She threw him to the ground while she stood up.

The mage blinked and backed off, amazed by the development. “But… how did you resist the sleep spell?!”

“Oh, I used my lovely rose to help me stay awake,” she admitted, holding up the rose to smell it once more, “Hard to sleep with a thorn poking at you.” The elf then propped it behind her ear, unwilling to lose the valuable flower, then drew her blades.

Soren drew his as well and began to swing it back and forth in a flashy display. Rayla just waited, unimpressed. “Are we gonna fight, or is this a talent show?”

The human frowned and stared at her, “Oh.”

Starting the attack, Rayla charged at him, both her blades moving fast against his weapon, but he blocked each of her strikes. Once ready, he charged against her a lot stronger, and forced her to back up and dodge his blows. Unfortunately for him, his overpowered attack caused his weapon to get stuck in a tree, and the elf attacked him again with a flying leap.

Soren kicked her hard in the stomach and sent her flying back into the trees around them. She landed squarely on her back with a pained grunt. As she sat up, the human jumped after her, his sword ready to stab through her stomach, but the elf managed to roll away in time. They continued to fight for a while, neither of them getting the upper hand, but then Rayla got a slight advantage. The human was knocked to the ground, and she stood over him. “What are you doing here?”

“Soren!”

The call made her turn to the speaker, and the swordsman took advantage of her distraction quickly. He got up and charged at her, picking her up, and throwing her backwards into a mud pit. 

Once she was down, the mage threw some strange, glowing gunk onto her weapons and began to chant in some strange, unknown language. The blades seared hot until she couldn’t hold them anymore, and she dropped them into the mud, blowing on her hands.

Disarmed and on unstable ground, Rayla realised the human was before her, sword ready for a final strike. “Any last words, elf?”

“RAYLA!” 

The pair turned to the voice, but at that very second, something ran at the guard and tackled him to the ground. Soren dropped his blade before finding a hand grasping his neck. Above him, was a snarling hybrid with long fangs, wings spread wide, and talons that were now cutting off his airway. The other hand was held up above him, ready to rip his face off at any given moment. A loud, deep growling reverberated through the teen’s chest.

Soren gasped as he looked up at the dragon. “G-get off me! Please!” he begged.

Callum kept growling as he squeezed tighter.

“Callum! Wait!” 

He turned to look at the voice, his eyes still narrow, and glaring at Ezran who ran to join them. The human looked a little scared, but swallowed, and held out his hand. “It’s alright. J-just let him go.”

Looking down at the older male, Callum let his growl die down and quickly let go of his neck. He stood, stalking over to Ezran and wrapping his tail around him.

With a sigh of relief, Ezran looked at the other humans. “Claudia? Soren? What are you two doing here?”

“We-we came to get you Ez! This elf and dragon, they-they kidnapped you!” Claudia explained, taking a step forward, but the dragon growled, and she quickly backed off.

Rayla looked at the two of them. “We never kidnapped him. He came with us willingly.”

“It’s true. I came with them to help look after Callum.”

The mage glanced at the dragon, who was still glaring daggers at her. “Umm… hi?”

A growl was her only reply.

Ezran sighed as he looked over the group. “Look, it’s late. Why don’t we all get some rest and we can talk in the morning.”

“No,” Callum finally snapped, “They leave. Now!”

Having gotten herself free of the mud, Rayla walked over to him and leaned over to whisper in his ear, “Callum, we should let them stay till morning. We need to find out how they found us and what they know.”

He glared at her, but she smiled softly. 

Finally, he sighed. “One night. And if you do  _ anything  _ I don’t like, I’ll kill you both myself.” 

With that, he grabbed Rayla’s wrist and pulled her away from them both, heading to the nexus. Once far enough away, he stopped and let go of her, taking a few more steps. He grabbed hold of a tree and slumped forward, his breathing becoming sharp and fast.

“Callum?” Rayla called as she walked over to him, tentative of his mental state, “Are you… are you alright?”

“That… that man. He was going to hurt you.”

Looking down at her mud-soaked clothes, Rayla sighed, “Yeah… but I had it under control. Promise.”

He turned to her, “I know. But… I couldn’t help myself. I just… charged in.”

“And I’m grateful you did,” she said as she walked around him, holding his cheek, “But you really shouldn’t have. It only put you in danger.”

“I know. I just…”

“You wanted to protect me, I know,” she chuckled lightly, then leaned over and kissed his cheek, “But please, don’t risk your life for mine. You’re more important than me.”

His eyes disagreed with her, but instead, he reached out and touched the badge on her shirt. “Just… promise me you’ll be careful… but…why did you let them stay?”

“They found us, somehow. We need to find out how exactly, and stop it from happening again. There is no point in us running away if they can just follow us.”

“But how will we find out?”

She winced a little. “Umm… you’re not going to like it.” 

“Why?”

“You… could try talking to the dark mage?”

He growled at the mere idea, “No.”

“Callum…”

“NO!” he hissed, “I will not speak to that… that… that  _ witch _ !”

Holding his hand, Rayla frowned. “Callum, I know it’s hard, but please, you need to try. Think about it, okay?”

He stared at her then sighed, walking towards the gazebo. “It’s late. We should get some rest.” 

~#~

The next morning, Soren and Claudia stood in their own gazebo, thinking about what to do now.

“You know what I don’t understand?” the guard asked after a long silence, “That dragon boy.”

“What about him?” 

“He… he seemed to know you.” 

Claudia blinked suddenly as she sipped her hot, brown, morning potion. “Umm… I… I don’t know what you mean.”

“The way he looked at me… that was because I was attacking his elf girlfriend, obviously. But when he looked at you…” Soren frowned, “He… he  _ hated _ you, but you’ve never seen him before.”

The mage averted her gaze, “Umm… yeah, about that.”

“Claudia?”

“The truth is… umm… dad… umm…”

“What are you not telling me?”

“Look, it’s a dragon… they are… a power source for Dark Magic and… you know, it’s not easy to get dragon blood… or dragon nails or… scales, or hair, and… you know it’s handy to have a… a supply.”

Soren slowly put it together. “What did you do?”

“We… kinda kept him prisoner in the castle for the last ten years, harvesting bits from him for magic. You know, nothing  _ serious _ .”

The guard stared at her in disbelief. “I knew Dark Magic was weird but… you were keeping a dragon prisoner… for ten years?” He paused, thinking of the boy he’d seen, “Wait… he can’t be much older than you! Ten years? That means… he was a  _ child  _ when you took him!”

“I never took him!” Claudia argued in her own defence, “Dad did!”

“Oh, because that’s so much better!”

“Look, our mission is to bring Ezran home. Never mind the dragon or… anything else.”

Not looking impressed at her dismissal, Soren sighed. He was also torn up over his father’s ‘secret mission’, the mission to kill King Harrow’s only child. 

“So… how are we going to do that? Ezran seemed pretty happy with the dragon… and the dragon was  _ pretty _ protective of him.”

“We’ll think of something,” Claudia mumbled, looking at her potion once more, and contemplating the dragon situation. The vial of dragon blood stashed in her bag suddenly began playing on her mind. 

As Soren tried to wrap his head around things, there was a knock at the door. The pair looked at each other before he went over, holding the hilt of his blade as he did. He opened the door carefully and was met with a scowling dragon on the other side. He gulped, tensing for a fight, but the dragon just huffed.

“I want to speak to the…woman.”

Claudia stood from her seat, “Me?”

“Yes, you…” he flicked his tail in discomfort, “Come.”

The siblings looked at each other before the mage shrugged, walking out the doorway and clutching her bag. She looked nervously at the dragon. “Umm… what did you want to talk about?”

He walked down the path, his face in a constant frown. “Tell me what you know.”

“Know?”

“About me.”

She looked at the ground, “I don’t know what you want to know.”

“What did you know about me? When I was there… when I was in that cell… you weren’t surprised to find me. Yet, I never saw you before that day. So, what did you know?”

She scratched the back of her neck as they walked. “Well… umm…” she bit her lip for a moment, “See… I’m a mage, and… I use magic… so… you… umm… you’re… umm… body is… well… I can use it to do magic.”

“What you do is  _ not _ magic!” he snapped suddenly, stopping and turning to face her, “You do Dark Magic. Evil and black.”

“Look, dragon…”

“My name is Callum!” 

“Callum… right, sorry. But… look, Callum, you have to understand; humans are… nothing, compared to dragons and elves. We don’t have a bond to an Arcanum like you do. We don’t have any great powers or skills… we don’t have… anything. And yet, we are  _ still _ able to do amazing things.”

“By taking the life of other creatures? By stealing their blood to do your Dark Magic?!” he growled, “You disgust me witch.”

“Look, Callum, please, give me a chance to explain,” she pleaded, “Look, I knew about you. I knew… my father had a dragon hidden in the lower levels… but… I just thought of you as… this… thing.”

“Thing?”

“I’m sorry for that,” she apologised, “I just thought…” She sighed and looked away, “Well, in truth, I wasn’t thinking. My father would just give me these amazing gifts, and I would be able to do these… wonderful, powerful spells with them… so I never asked where they came from. And when he did tell me… I… I didn’t want to go anywhere near you.”

He glared at her as they walked. “And now?”

“Now?”

“Do you see what your magic does? The harm it does?” He looked ahead for a moment, “You saw me in that cell. You saw what your father had done to me. What do you think now?”

The mage walked beside him, and her eyes looked over his appearance. “Well…” she whispered, “You… look… different.”

“I’m not on the edge of death anymore,” he reminded her.

“Well… yes… you do… look better… but… you also… you look… stronger.”

He let out a sharp huff, then held out his hand, aiming upwards. “Fulminis,” he said, and quickly, lightning shot from his hand and exploded into the sunny sky. 

Claudia’s eyes went wide at the display. “Wow.”

“Yes, I am stronger. And you would be wise to remember it. Now, answer my next question; what are you doing here?”

His threat made her swallow, and she backed off from him a little, “W-we’re here to rescue Ezran.”

“Rescue him?” he hissed, “My brother is in no danger.”

“Your brother?”

“Got a problem with that?”

She held up her hands defensively, “No, no, no, that’s fine. But… you do know he’s a prince… he has duties to attend to. He can’t just… run away…and his father is worried about him,” she added.

Callum looked away from her. “But I need him to come with me. When I return home… I need him.”

“Why?”

“Because I do. I have no intention of telling  _ you _ why,” he looked at the woman, “You can’t take him away.”

Claudia sighed as she looked at him. “Callum, that isn’t your say.”

“And it isn’t yours,” he growled, getting up in her face. “Ezran can decide. If he wants to go home, then so be it… I won’t stop him. But if he wants to come with me, you can’t stop him. Understand?”

The mage quickly nodded, and Callum frowned when he noticed a slight blush on her cheeks.

“Yes, yes, whatever you say,” she said, her voice slightly flustered. “So… umm… Callum… can I… can I ask you a question?”

“I suppose. But if I don’t like it, I will not answer you.”

“Can dragons do… Dark Magic?”

He stopped and glared at the mage, then walked ahead of her without saying a word.

Claudia gasped as he walked on, “Wait, Callum…”

“Leave me!” he ordered, continuing on without her.

“No, no, wait… I… I have something to give you!” she called, running after him, “A-as a...a peace token.” She reached into her pocket bag, but the dragon growled. 

“Whoa… I-I’m just getting something from my bag.”

Tense, the dragon glared at her, his talons ready for an attack. “ _ Slowly _ .”

She nodded, and gradually reached into her bag, taking hold of a vial, and pulling it out before letting it lie flat in her palm. “Here. M-My father gave it to me. I-It’s… it’s your blood. He wanted me to use it… to put you to sleep and… and take you back.”

“Take me back?” he growled, taking a small step backwards, “You’re here to take me back?!”

Caught, Claudia retreated herself, “Umm… yes… he… he did, but I’m not going to! I… I see now it was wrong! It was wrong to keep you locked up… you’re a living, thinking person… not a thing so… I won’t… I won’t hurt you.” She held the vial out a little more, “Take it. Please. S-so… I can’t use it on you.”

Slowly, Callum stepped forward and reached out. He took the vial and looked at it, the liquid sliding from one side to the other. The sight brought back memories of being chained, and having his life essence taken. He tightly closed his hand around it.

“Ah, be careful,” the mage said quickly, “If you break the glass, the spell will activate, and you’ll fall asleep.”

Holding it carefully now, Callum put it into his own pocket before staring at her. “You are hiding something, witch,” he said, slowly moving towards her until they were eye to eye, “There’s a secret...”

“What…”

“I can see it in your eyes. Not just the darkness in your heart, but something… something you’re not telling me.” 

She swallowed hard, unable to look away from him, “J-just that… Ezran has to return home… to be with his father.”

* * *

**SL: *Painful groan* Dear GOD that lullaby took forever to write, and I’m still not 100% happy. If you are interested, I based the ‘tune’ for it off All Is Found from Frozen 2, the Kacey Musgraves version.**

**Also, FINALLY WE GET TO SEE SOREN MEET CALLUM! (Ray calls him our second baby, Callum being our first baby.)**

**RK: I PROTECC MY SONS!**


	15. Chapter 13 – Scales and Dumb Lump

#  **Chapter 13 – Scales and Dumb Lump**

Taking a deep breath, Viren walked over to a small chest sitting at the back of his office. Grabbing a key from around his neck, he unlocked it, and lifted the lid to reveal its contents. Inside, were around twenty glass vials, neatly stacked and labelled. He looked them over, reading the text on each one. “Let me see…” he mumbled to his collection, “Ah… there.” He reached out and picked one vial in particular.

Carefully, he placed it on the desk, then pulled out a cylinder with a hollow chamber and a sharp, but short needle at the end. The vial slid perfectly into the gap, and the mage held it to his shoulder. He stuck the needle into his arm before pressing the end to inject the liquid.

He grunted at the pain, but then sighed at the flow of power running through his veins. “Ahh… that’s better,” he said to himself, standing up and stretching his back out before looking at the box. The mage frowned at his depleting collection, but locked it up, and headed out to face the day.

~#~ 

“Callum! Catch!” Ezran laughed as he threw the ball at the dragon. Unfortunately, he wasn’t paying attention to the game, and the ball ended up hitting him square in the groin.

He collapsed forward with a grunt, wings coming around to protect him from any further injury. On the side lines, Rayla laughed, but still hurried over. “Callum? You alright?”

“Fine,” he choked, his voice a little pitched while he slowly stood up. 

“Umm… Mr. Dragon… sir?”

The group looked up to see Soren coming over. Rayla quickly got defensive, but Callum gave him a little benefit of the doubt. Unlike his sister, this one hadn’t done anything too bad yet. 

“It’s Callum.”

“Right… yes, Callum. Umm… I was wondering… could we… talk?”

“Talk?”

“Alone?”

Rayla reached for her blades. “Umm, not gonna happen. I’m not leaving Dumb Lump there alone with the prince.  _ Either _ prince, after that whole… zip-slide thingy.”

“Rayla, we talked about that,” Callum mumbled, “This one is alright. I can tell.”

“You can?” Soren questioned, “What is it? The way I smell or… something?”

“I don’t know how to explain it. It’s a dragon thing. But… if you want to speak with me, then so be it.” He stepped forward with a small limp, but it soon settled. He paused, then looked back, “Stay close to Rayla, Ezran.”

“Alright,” he agreed.

“And you be careful with  _ him, _ ” the elf snapped, glaring daggers at the guard.

Sighing, Callum began to walk with the other sibling until they were both down the pathway, far out of sight of the others. “Sorry about Rayla. She’s protective.” 

“I-I understand,” he sighed, “I would be the same… in her position.”

The dragon gave a small huff in agreement as they continued to walk around the nexus. After a few minutes in silence, he sighed. “You wanted to speak with me?”

“Yeah… um…” Soren looked to the sky, anywhere but the dragon, “Claudia… my sister… she… she told me that… you were… umm… you had been…” He took a breath and let it out quickly, “Did my dad really hold you prisoner for ten years?”

“You didn’t know?”

“I had no idea…” he confessed, “I… I don’t do all that magic. I just… I’m a member of the Crownguard. I prefer strength and skill over… magic.”

“Yes, I can tell.”

“You can?” he arched his brow, “Is this another dragon thing?”

“No.” He smirked. “Your uniform.”

Looking at his chest, he saw the Crownguard symbol beneath his breastplate. “Oh… yeah.”

“So, you never knew about me?” He turned to face him once more, “But I want to know… what if you had?”

“Had? Had what?”

“Known about me,” his eyes narrowed, watching the older male. “If you had known I was there, knowing who I am… would you have done anything?”

Soren thought for a moment, thinking about his question before nodding. “In all honesty… I don’t know. I mean… you’re a dragon… and dragons don’t always-”

“Choose your next words carefully.”

He gulped, “Take care… where they step I mean.” Callum smirked at his diplomatic choice of words, but Soren continued. “What I’m trying to say is… I… don’t know what I would have done. Yes… you’re a dragon… and I’m a human and… we are meant to be enemies but…” he took a breath, “The Dragon Prince… was taken ten years ago. And you… you’re… so young. You can’t be more than fourteen, fifteen years old.” He put a hand to his head and screwed his eyes shut, “You… were… were just a kid.”

Callum stared at him for a moment, frowning at his reaction.

Soren took a few breaths, then nodded, lowering his hand. “Dragon, human, elf… no child deserves to go through what you did.” He looked down at his feet. “I’m so sorry for what my father did to you.”

The prince took a breath of his own, then held out his hand.

The Crown Guard looked at it, then at his face, “What’s that for?”

“You shake it,” he teased, “It’s what you do when you accept someone’s apology.”

“Oh… right,” he laughed nervously, shaking the dragon’s offered hand. “So… does this mean we’re friends?”

Pulling his hand back, Callum returned to the walkway, “Don’t push your luck.”

Soren chuckled as he went after him, “So… Callum… you’re gonna… go home now?”

“To Xadia, yes.”

“Alone?”

“No, I have Rayla and Ezran coming with me.”

“But… Ezran is a prince… he has to… go home.”

“So your sister has told me.” 

“He has responsibilities. People who need him.”

“I need him!” the dragon snapped, his tail flicking in aggravation, “He keeps me grounded, keeps me in this world and not… the darkness.” He sighed, “Ezran is my brother, and I will do anything to protect him.”

“Your brother? But… he’s human and…your…”

“You don’t have to be related to be brothers,” Callum explained, “Even less for dragons. We can claim anyone as family as long as both wish it.”

“Really? Wow, I didn’t know that.”

The dragon froze for a moment, then looked over at him, “Neither…did I… until just now...I guess my memories are coming back. But yes, Ezran is my brother now, and it is my duty to keep him safe.”

“Well, it’s my duty to keep him safe too. And you  _ do  _ know he needs to go home, right?” Soren asked as they walked down the path, “He needs to go back to Katolis to become king.”

The dragon turned back to him, “Wait… what?”

“He needs to become king.”

“His father is the king.”

The blonde stopped for a moment, “Callum… his father is dead.”

The dragon’s wings drooped. “What?”

“He… he’s dead. He was killed by Moonshadow elves that night.”

Thinking about the times Ezran had spoken about his father, about his plans to tell him everything that they had done, and share their story when they met once more, Callum blinked, terrified. “Ez doesn’t know.”

“No… I don’t think he does.”

The dragon averted his eyes for a moment, then grabbed him by the arm. “You can’t tell him.”

“What?”

“Ezran. He… he can’t find out. Not yet.”

“But… he needs to go home. Katolis doesn’t have a king at the moment! An empty throne is… is… is dangerous. Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you didn’t know about the king. And I understand you not wanting to tell the prince but… it’s all the more reason for him to return with me and Claudia.”

“You I may trust,” Callum said as he looked at the Crown Guard, “You have a good heart. But not  _ her _ . I will not leave Ezran alone with  _ her _ .” 

“What, Claudia? She’s my sister. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt… anyone.”

“Say that to the hundreds of creatures she’s killed to use their power for her own gain!” he growled out, “Soren, I will tell you what I told her; it is Ezran’s choice where he goes. At no point have I or Rayla  _ ever  _ forced him to do something he didn’t want to. If he wishes to return to Katolis with you, then so be it. That’s my final stand on the matter.”

The guard lowered his head a little. “You’re a stubborn guy, you know that?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Well… you are.”

Callum gave a small shrug, then looked at the sword by his side. “Well, I’m sorry for attacking you last night. I saw you were going to hurt Rayla and… I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

Rubbing his neck over where he’d been grabbed, Soren chuckled. “You’ve got one hell of a grip. But it’s alright. She’s protective of you and you’re protective of her. Best way to be in a relationship.”

“Perhaps. But I want to know more.”

“More?”

“About protecting her and Ezran. I have my magic, but I don’t know many spells. And my claws are good, but… I want to learn how to fight with a sword.”

Thinking over it, Soren nodded. “Well, shall I teach you a few moves?”

“That would be appreciated.”

“Come on then, Scales, let’s go find a place to spar!”

~#~

Rayla searched everywhere, but the dark mage was gone. One second, she stood, talking to Ezran, something Rayla also wasn’t happy about, and the next, she was gone. So far, she hadn’t been able to find her again.

As she searched, she heard the sound of metal against metal, and turned, racing towards whoever was in danger. She found Callum and the human male in a clearing, swords drawn.

The human charged at the dragon, but Rayla sprinted forwards and crossed her blades to block the attack, then kicked Soren away. “I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone!”

“No, Rayla it’s alright!” Callum explained before she could attack, grabbing her arm to stop her. “It’s alright! I asked him to teach me!”

“You what?” 

“Teach me how to fight with a sword,” he pointed to the blade in his hand. That was when Rayla noticed it was the illusion sword from her ‘knighting’. She looked at Soren as he stood up, and noticed he suddenly had two swords, one in the scabbard at his side, and another in hand.

“They’re both fakes?” she asked, grabbing Soren’s sword and finding it blunt. 

Soren nodded and even stabbed his own hand to prove the point. “Well, yeah, I wasn’t going to teach him with a real sword. Someone might get hurt.”

The elf turned to her charge. “I could have taught you how to fight if you asked.”

“I know, but I didn’t want you to worry about me,” he confessed, rubbing her cheek gently, “I mean, you always protect me. But the other night… I realised no one is there to protect you. I want to be that someone that can save you from the murderous, insane swordsman, and his crazy, black-magic sister.” He quickly glanced at Soren. “No offence.”

“None taken.”

“So please, Rayla, you can teach me later, but for now, let me train with Soren.”

Looking at the guard, she decided to trust the dragon’s intuition. “Fine, but if he gives you so much as a scratch,” she left the threat unfinished, showing how certain she was. 

Soren rubbed his neck again. “Honestly,  _ he’s _ more likely to scratch  _ me _ .”

“I did offer to shift to human form,” Callum reminded him.

“Nah. Always wanted to say I fought a dragon,” he chuckled, then moved to a fighting stance. “Ready to go again?”

Looking at Rayla, the dragon smiled. “Go, I’m fine,” he said, then copied Soren’s movements. “Ready.”

As the two clashed, Rayla walked off to try and find the mage again. Internally, she was quite impressed with Callum; first magic, and now sword-fighting. 

He was becoming more and more prince-like every day. And that, for some reason, made her heart flutter in her chest like a hundred butterflies.

~#~

“Haha, that was amazing!” Soren laughed as he walked along the path with the dragon that night, holding the two illusion swords over one shoulder. “You’ve got some real potential. Hey, if being King of the Dragons doesn’t work out for you, you can always come and be a Crown Guard.”

Callum chuckled too. “Well, thank you for teaching me.”

“Are you kidding?! It was an honour! I wish the guards at the palace put  _ half  _ the dedication you did into training.”

“Well, maybe tomorrow we can train again?”

“You can bet on it,” he said, then punched the dragon on the shoulder, sending him forward a step. It took him a moment to realise what he’d just done. “Umm… I’m sorry! It’s a human thing!”

Callum growled at him for a moment, eyes narrow and ready for the attack, but then he stopped and laughed before punching his shoulder back. “It’s a dragon thing too.”

“Worried I was in trouble there,” he laughed nervously before they came to a fork in the path. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow Scales, and we’ll do some more training.”

“See you in morning Dumb Lump,” Callum laughed as they went their separate ways, heading to the gazebo he, Rayla, and Ezran shared.

Shaking his head, Soren watched him leave, then went up the path to his own gazebo. The guard left the two illusion swords near the door, but as he did, he heard something from inside. He paused, kneeling down and opening the door a crack, peeking in to see his sister pacing back and forth and mumbling to herself. 

“Ah… dad wants me to get the dragon back… but… he’s a… prince and… kinda cute but… he’s also a dragon… and… we need him and…” she groaned, “Come on Claudia, make up your mind! Either kidnap the dragon, force him back into a cell for the rest of his life… or… just get Ezran back… or… let them both go? Well I can’t let them  _ go,  _ so that’s out… and I mean…dad gave me this blood… but like… will it hurt the dragon…will Ezran get mad at me? Maybe he won’t come if we take the dragon? Ugh! Why is this so hard! Okay… okay… think about this logically… Ez needs to go home to become king… and… dad needs the dragon to… to do magic to keep the kingdom safe. So… my only option… is… kidnap them both! Right, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll have to deal with the elf but… I could just put her to sleep then trap her! So… what do I need for a sleeping spell again?”

Listening to her, Soren sank back against the ground, thinking about what she’d said, about what it was implying. He thought about Callum, how they’d bonded and had fun training. He couldn’t condemn him to a life in a cell.

Standing, he ran back down the path and down the other fork, heading towards the other gazebo.

He could hear talking from the inside of this one too.

“No!”

“Rayla, please. He’s a good guy!”

“Just because he taught you how to… to swing a sword does not mean we can trust him!”

The Crown Guard coughed suddenly, realising they were talking about him, and knocked on the door. “Scales! It’s me! I need to talk to you!”

The door soon opened, but it was the elf. “What do you want? And who are you calling Scales?”

“It’s a guy thing,” he explained, pushing past her to enter the room. “Scales, you need to get out of here! Now!”

“What? Why? What’s going on?”

“My sister… she… she’s going to try and take you away.”

“Take… me away?”

“I overheard her, she has a vial of your blood. She’s going to use it to put you to sleep… and kidnap Ezran to take him home.”

Callum stared at him, then grabbed the vial from his pocket before quickly crushing it in his hand. The glass didn’t even graze his scales, but the liquid that ran over his hand smelled sweet. “Berry juice…” he realised in horror, turning to Rayla, “We need to go! Now!”

“I knew you were trouble!” Rayla shouted, going for her blades, but Callum stood between her and the guard. 

“Rayla! He’s come to warn us!”

“Yeah!” Soren agreed, “I’m giving you a chance to escape! Look, Callum doesn’t deserve to be chained up! So please, take Ezran and go!”

“How? We need a way to make sure your psycho sister doesn’t follow us!”

“Leave that to me! I have an idea.” He nodded at the dragon. “Just get ready to go when I give you the signal.”

“And what makes you think we can trust you?” the elf huffed.

Sighing deeply, Callum turned to her and held her cheeks with both hands. “Rayla… please, listen to me. Just… if you can’t trust him, trust me. I can’t explain it… but… I know he’s good. Just like I knew you and Ezran were good. We can trust him.”

She stared at him as he held her face, then slowly sighed. “Fine. I trust  _ you _ Cal.”

He nodded and let go of her, turning to the blonde, “How long do you need to get this distraction ready?”

“If I can get the magic moon lady to help me… twenty minutes.”

“We will be ready.”

He nodded, then stepped forward and held out his hand. “Good luck Scales.”

“I hope we meet again Dumb Lump,” he said as he shook the offered hand, then punched him in the shoulder. “Stay safe.”

Soren nodded, then stepped towards Rayla and nodded politely to her as well. “Look after him.”

“You bet I will.”

“And Ezran…” He turned to the human, kneeling down beside him, “Come home when you’re ready, okay?”

“I will, and you’ll tell my dad I’m alright?”

He nodded and looked to the ground, “ I’m sure he knows.”

As Ezran and the guard hugged, Callum looked at Rayla and caught her eye, mouthing ‘I know about the king’ to her while the pair parted. Soren made his way to the door. “Be ready to move.”

~#~

Sleeping spell ready, Claudia walked out of the gazebo and headed as quietly as she could towards the other one, but she soon spotted her brother running towards her. 

“Claudia, I was just going to get you! Ezran and the others, they are preparing to leave.”

“Now?” she gasped, recalculating her plan.

“Yeah!” he said, then turned back the way he came, his sister now hurrying with him. 

Lujanne stood smiling as she spoke to the elf, dragon, and human. “I really will miss you three.”

“We won’t forget what you’ve done for us Lujanne.”

“Just make sure you get the prince home.”

“Wait!” Claudia called as she approached them, “Y-You can’t leave now.”

“Not that it’s anything to do with you, but yes, we can,” Rayla told her, glaring at them both. “The sooner we leave the sooner we can get Callum home.”

“But what about Ezran? His father misses him!” she lied, desperate to get them to stay. “He wants to have his son back.”

“Ez wants to come with us, and he wrote a letter while at the Banther Lodge explaining everything.”

“But-but…”

“But what, witch?” the elf huffed, and the dragon glared at her, silently growling. 

Claudia swallowed hard. “Umm…”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. We are leaving, and you’re not coming with us. Callum, Ez, let’s go.” The group turned and began to make their way towards the nexus entrance.

Claudia followed them. “Wait… I… I need to speak to Callum!”

The dragon just glared at her, but stepped back along the path for a moment.

Facing him, the mage sighed. “Callum, I… I wanted to ask you to come back with me… to the palace.” She quickly held up her hands, “It won’t be like last time! W-we won’t chain you up or… do anything like that. We’ll get you a nice room, with a bed… and… and no chains. But… but please, won’t you consider it?”

He continued to glare before turning and heading back to Rayla.

Not willing to let the power source go, she looked at him, then reached into her bag. “Callum, I don’t want to do this!” she shouted before throwing the vial to the ground.

The group turned, watching as the blood turned to red smoke and rapidly headed for Callum. Rayla tried to cut it away, but it went around her. “Callum! Hold your breath!” 

He did, covering his mouth and nose, but the smoke just went for his eyes, turning them red. Instantly, the dragon shuddered once and fell forward to the ground, unmoving. 

Rayla gasped, then charged at her. “What did you do to him?!” she demanded, swords out, but Soren charged at her, his own sword drawn.

“Let the prince go!” the Crown Guard shouted back.

“Ezran! Run!”

The boy did turn to run, but Claudia held out her hand, casting a spell as the chain bracelet she wore came to life. They moved like snakes and slithered towards the prince, quickly wrapping around Ezran until he was trapped, and fell to the ground. Claudia walked over to him and knelt at his side. “I’m so sorry Ez,” she whispered, “I’m doing this for your own good.” 

The prince didn’t look at her, just stared off into the distance. 

“Ez, please don’t be angry with me. I’m taking you home. And I meant what I said; I’ll make sure Callum has a good home… and I’ll get dad to let you visit him. You’ll be okay.”

He still didn’t say anything. 

“Wait… Ez?” she questioned, reaching out and touching him. Instantly, he and the dragon vanished into a puff of smoke, the chains falling to the ground. “What?” she gasped, “An illusion!” 

Lujanne chuckled as she stood to the side, “Of course. This is my home after all. Do you think I would let you harm the Dragon Prince?” she reminded her, “And you just broke your only way of controlling him.” 

The dark mage looked down, horrified by the broken glass scattered at her feet. “No…” She turned to the elf, holding her hand out and preparing another spell, but Lujanne just smiled, waved her hand, and vanished herself, as did the nexus, and Rayla. Claudia suddenly found herself alone on a dirt path with Soren, his blade still aimed. “Wait… I don’t understand!”

“It must have been an illusion… all of it!” he growled, putting his sword away, and trying to hide a smile. “Where are the princes?”

“I… I don’t know,” the mage said, turning around before spotting something above them. It was a blue, feathered creature with blue flames flickering on its tail. On it, Ezran, Callum, and Rayla rode on its back. As they flew past, Callum looked down on the pair, his eyes drawn to the blonde. 

Soren gave him a small wink and a nod. 

“Soren!” Claudia gasped, “They’re getting away!”

“What can we do? They’re flying!”

“Not for long,” she growled, furious with their tricks, and grabbed a strange tentacle from her bag. She called upon the Dark Magic to create a massive, shadow version of it, fire and sparks flying around her. Then, she sent it out after them, wrapping it around the flying bird, and slowly beginning to pull it down again. 

She held them still, pulling them closer while the bird tried to fight back. Ezran stared at her with desperation. “Please! Claudia, don’t do this!”

Soren stared in horror as their plan backfired. At that moment, he looked to the trees just before a man armed with a chain jumped out. The man stared briefly at the magic in horror before swinging the chain and wrapping it around Claudia’s arm. 

Rayla blinked as she recognised the man. “That’s the hunter! The… the one I… fought a few days ago.”

“That’s Corvus!” Ezran exclaimed, also recognising him, “He’s one of Aunt Amaya’s men!”

Corvus frowned as he pulled on the chain, knocking the tentacle from her hand, breaking the spell, and throwing her to the ground. The moon phoenix quickly pulled back into the sky and flew them far out of reach. Claudia stared angrily at the man as his chain held her arm. “What are you doing?” she begged, “They’re getting away!.”

“I’ve been listening to the stories as I followed them! And they are no danger. So, I am protecting them from you!” 

Soren let out a regretful sigh, picking up a rock and striking the man at the back of the head. “Sorry, chain man,” he whispered before his sister could hear. “I got him!” he said with a false chuckle, “We’ll tie him up and take him in as a traitor.”

“Agreed…” his sister huffed as she watched the phoenix fly away. “But we will have to take him with us. We still need to get Ezran back.”

“Claudia, do… do we have to?” He winced at his own words. “I mean… what if we let them go? Ezran is safe with them, and… Callum…”

“That  _ dragon _ is dangerous! If we let it get home, it will grow stronger and destroy everything we know!” she snapped, “We have to kill it.”

“Claudia…”

“I know you got to know it, but you don’t know the power dragons have like I do.” She panted as she remembered what she’d read, “They are so… so powerful… and dangerous…” 

“But he’s a person! He… he has feelings… and you want to kill him?”

“Yes, I do.” She turned to look at the man on the ground as he groaned, starting to come around. “Tie him up. Quickly!”

Doing as told, Soren tied the man up, hands behind his back. As he slowly came around and Claudia retrieved what was left of her magic, Soren leaned over to his ear. “Listen, I don’t have long, but I want you to know, I’m on your side. I will help you protect the prince, but you have to play along.”

“What?”

“Just play along!” he hissed as Claudia came back. “And I mean it, you give us any trouble and I’ll make sure you regret it! Hey Claudia, finished tying up Corvus the traitor.”

“Traitor? General Amaya sent me to protect the prince of Katolis! And the prince of Xadia! Yes, I worked out who he is! I’ve been watching you for the last few days! I know that boy is the Dragon Prince and what you’ve been doing to him! And I won’t let it stand!”

Soren glanced at him nervously then stepped back, “Don’t worry Claudia. General Amaya will never find out now that we’ve got the traitor!” He spoke so robotically, any normal person would’ve probably worked out his meaning, however, Claudia wasn’t a normal person. 

“Just keep a close eye on him Soren. We can’t let him escape,” she sighed, heading down the path, “Come on, we need to go after them.”

“No. We can’t have him escape,” the guard said as he helped Corvus stand. He leaned closer and winked at the other man. “ _ Yet, _ ” he whispered, then pushed him to walk on ahead.

~#~

High above, Ezran was laughing as he held his arms out to the side, the wind blowing hard against his face. “Is this what it feels like to fly Callum?” he called as Phoe-Phoe flapped her wings to carry them on.

Callum laughed as he kept his wings pinned to his side. “I don’t know Ez! I’ve never flown!”

“Well, I bet it feels something like this!” the young boy chuckled, closing his eyes as he felt the breeze. 

Behind him, Callum touched Rayla’s shoulder. “Rayla…” he whispered, his voice lost in the wind, “We need to talk about Ez’s father… when we land.”

She looked down and nodded, going back to the flight, but then, she looked back at him. “Callum… try it.”

“Try it?”

“Spread your wings. Try and fly.”

He frowned, glancing down at the clouds, “Umm…. Are you sure?”

“Try it!” she laughed, holding his hand, “Go on! Spread your wings!”

He bit his lip and took a deep breath, slowly spreading his wings against the air. The phoenix slowed a little, as if sensing what he was attempting to do.

As the wind lifted him up, Callum swallowed and allowed himself to float off a bit further, holding Rayla’s hand tight. Eventually, he beat his wings himself and smiled, feeling them lift him upwards. Rayla stretched her arm out to keep hold of him, but then he pulled away… and flew.

Rayla laughed as she watched Callum flying beside her, his wings stretched out as he rode the air currents. Ezran also gasped. “Callum!”

He grinned at the pair, then flapped his wings once, instantly taking off into the sky faster than the moon phoenix. He happily raced through the clouds, looping and twisting in the air, before coming back to fly by their side with a worried expression. “Rayla… I don’t know how to land!”

“Silly lizard,” Rayla sighed, holding out her hand for him. Once he grabbed it, she pulled him into her so he could sit on the phoenix once more, but now, he was between Ezran and Rayla, closely facing the elf. He felt a heat come to his cheeks, being so close to her, but the pair soon broke apart, looking away from each other as they both flushed pink.

* * *

**SL: So…. Callum flies, Soren chooses a side, and SO MUCH HAPPENS IN ONE CHAPTER!**

**RK: *pats Soren* Good job baby! Mama proud. But in all seriousness, quite an intense, yet fun, eventful chapter.**

**-**

**SL: Also, we would like to take this moment to shout out to [HyzeClawser](https://www.deviantart.com/hyzeclawser/art/Magic-Friends-Breath-of-Hope-TDP-Fanfic-829517371) and [MaggiesHeartLove](https://www.deviantart.com/maggiesheartlove/art/Gift-Dragon-Rayllum-Wings-of-Love-830295823) for their amazing Fan art and gifts! They are beautiful and made us both so happy! Like crazy happy!**

****

**Also, anyone interested in some...** ** _very mature 18+ _ ** **artworks from the Dragon Prince Callum AU, contact Ray on Deviant Art! (Trust me, they are good)**


	16. Chapter 14 – Ruthless Voyage

# Chapter 14 – Ruthless Voyage

It was not the wakeup call any of them expected, but as Phoe-Phoe began to lose her strength with the rising sun, they started to crash towards the ground. All of them screamed in terror as dirt was thrown up into the air and Ezran fell over the edge of a cliff, a loose grip on Bait. Fortunately, Rayla grabbed both his leg and Bait's tail while Callum, in turn, held her. She smirked as they hung over the sheer drop.. "It's good to have both hands again."

Callum groaned, tempted to let her fall for her terrible humour, but then pulled, managing to get them all back to safety. "Is everyone alright?"

"I am," Ezran said, going over to the phoenix who was lying on her front, too tired to speak. "But Phoe-Phoe is exhausted. She gets her power from the Moon Nexus."

"And we're so far away from it now… it must be hard for her," Callum guessed, stroking the magical bird. "You did amazing, thank you. But you should return home. We can handle it from here."

The phoenix cooed, nuzzling both him and the human before taking off into the sky. Rayla sighed. "Well, she saved us a few days… and got us away from that… witch."

"So, what do we do now?" Callum asked, looking out over the cliff and the water that was before them.

"Well, Xadia's that way," Rayla explained, pointing east, "Across miles and miles of the fluid I both need to survive and hate more than anything in the world."

"I'm not fond of water either Rayla," the dragon reminded her. "So… why don't we walk around it?"

"That's a nice idea," she said with a shy smile, "But… but walking around is gonna take too long. And we need to get you back home as fast as possible. The war is only going to get worse… if we take too long… it will be too late."

"So… what do we do?"

"We've got to go straight across. And to do that, we need a boat," she decided, looking at the water before them, "And a captain who knows how to make it go."

"Okay."

"Specifically, a captain who doesn't hate elves… or dragons."

"Hey, I can shift now," he reminded her, "I'm as good as human."

"Apart from your eyes."

"I just don't look at anyone," he chuckled, but then looked down at the water. "I'm sorry I can't fly us across… from what Lujanne told me, in my draconic form, I could make it across in a day."

"Hey," Ezran comforted, holding his hand, "It's not your fault."

"But how are we going to find a boat?"

"Well… there's a town over there." The human pointed to the side.

Rayla and Callum looked in that direction, spotting the smoke and buildings marking a town on the edge of the water. "Well… if nothing else, we should be able to get a place to sleep. Come on, we should head that way," Rayla suggested as she judged the distance. "Should make it by nightfall."

~#~

It was dark when they arrived at the town, finding it mainly deserted as everyone had turned in for the night. As they stood to the side, Callum looked around. "Well, time to shift," he said to the others before closing his eyes and thinking of the incantation.

Ezran gasped as he watched his tail and wings vanish, his horns shrinking into his head. "Wow… that never gets old."

Rayla however, was searching the bags. "Oh no!"

"What is it?"

"I can't find my cloak!" she groaned, "I must have left it at the nexus."

"That was silly," Callum chuckled, then reached to his neck and pulled off his own cloak. "Here, it's a bit warm sometimes, but it will do the job." He placed it over her shoulders and pulled it into place for her. "Now, let's see your human impression again."

"Oh haha, I get it, keep quiet."

"It… might be for the best," Ezran admitted shyly, "I mean… I'm a big fan of 'Human Rayla' but… it can be… kinda obvious."

Callum nodded in agreement before turning to the town. "Well then, let's go and see if we can find somewhere to sleep… and maybe some information on a captain."

"Right. Let's go. And you two, stay close okay?"

Agreeing to listen, they headed into the town, walking around until they found a shop near the water that appeared to be an inn. Callum arranged for a room the three of them could sleep in.

Ezran was soon asleep with Bait, but Callum and Rayla stayed awake, sitting in the window of the room, and overlooking the massive lake. The dragon was in his human form, and he glanced at her. "Rayla… Ez's dad."

"He's dead."

"You knew all along. That's what you've been hiding from me."

"Yeah...I don't know how to tell Ezran. I feel so… ashamed."

"Why? You didn't kill him."

"No, I was too busy saving you," she sighed, "But my people… they did."

"Rayla, it's alright."

"It's not. We're keeping it from him… from your brother."

The dragon took a deep breath. "I know. But… maybe we shouldn't tell him."

"Why?"

"He'll leave us," he mumbled into his knees, "And… I can't face that."

"Callum, that's selfish," she warned him, holding his hand.

"Then let me be selfish."

She sighed, moving over to his side of the window and resting her head on his shoulder. "It doesn't work like that Callum. I don't want him to go. I mean…" She looked over at the sleeping boy. "I'm not a dragon, I can't just… claim someone as family but… Ez is like a brother to me too."

The dragon chuckled lightly as they watched him from across the room. "So, if he's a brother to you, and a brother to me… does that make you my sister?"

"Hope not," she chuckled softly against his neck, "It would be weird if I was your Dragon Guard and your sister."

He smiled, placing an arm around her waist to hold her close. "Yeah, that would be weird."

She mumbled, leaning on his shoulder and sighing softly as her eyes drifted closed. "Cal?"

"Hmm?"

"Are we safe here?"

"Well… yeah. I mean, as far as anyone knows, we're just three humans waiting for morning so we can find a boat to cross the water." He rubbed his brow against hers for a moment, "And that… witch…is days behind us. We're safe Rayla."

She released a slow breath which then turned into a yawn. "Good…"

Guessing she was sleepy, he rubbed her back softly. "Tired?"

"Yeah…"

"Get some sleep then," he whispered, leaning over and kissing her forehead. "Goodnight Rayla."

"'night…" she sighed, leaning on him as she drifted off.

~#~

Rubbing his eyes, Ezran stretched, and looked around the room before remembering that they'd already left the nexus.

He looked over at the other bed in the room and frowned when he saw it was still neatly made. Slowly, he looked over to the window, spotting the two sat in the window sill, leaning on each other, and fast asleep. He smiled as he got up and went over to the second bed, picking up the blanket, quietly taking it over to them, and placing it over their legs.

The action stirred the dragon, but Rayla barely even flinched. Gradually, Callum opened his eyes and yawned. "Ez?" he whispered, "What time is it?"

"Past dawn," he whispered back, looking at Rayla. "She's still asleep."

Rubbing her side, Callum nodded. "Yeah. She's exhausted. I think this is the first time she's really slept since we met her."

"That's over two weeks."

"I know," he sighed, running a hand back in her hair as she snuggled into him. "She's probably been staying up to keep guard and check for danger." He looked over at his brother, "Let her sleep."

"But…"

"If we end up leaving later, then we do. It's more important Rayla gets some rest."

"Well… alright. I'll go…"

"No, you'll stay in this room."

"But…"

"Ez, if I move, Rayla is going to wake up. So I can't come with you. You need to stay in here so I can make sure you're both safe."

Ez groaned, but nodded begrudgingly. "Alright Cal," he sighed, then went off to sit with Bait and wait.

It was a couple more hours before Rayla stirred, sighing as she opened her eyes, and looked up to see she was leaning on the human form of the Dragon Prince. An embarrassed blush quickly covered her cheeks as she leaned back, forgetting she was on the window sill with him. She ended up falling backwards onto the floor, but recovered quickly, getting to her feet and looking at Callum. "Callum, I'm so sorry! I-I didn't… umm…."

"Rayla, it's fine," he said, standing up himself and holding her shoulders, "You needed to sleep. You must have been exhausted."

She couldn't stop the blush as she looked away. "I know but… umm…" she coughed and looked out the window, "Wait, it's almost midday! You let me sleep that long?!"

"You were fast asleep Rayla, leaning on Callum like he was a giant pillow," Ez chuckled at her embarrassment, but didn't notice Callum blushing slightly as well.

"Well… now that I'm awake and ready to go, let's find us a ship and a captain to take us across the water." She sank a little when she looked out the window, "That's if they haven't all left already."

"Then we wait till tomorrow," Callum advised her, throwing her his cloak, "Cover up and we'll go see."

Once ready, the trio left the inn and headed towards the port. Callum and Ez looked around for someone who could take them across the water. As the two boys spoke to possible captains and crews, Rayla stayed away, keeping an eye open, but hiding herself with the long, red cloak.

The two were in the middle of their longest conversation, and she was getting a little bored, leaning on a wall and trying to prepare herself to face her greatest fear. Instead, she turned her attention to the cloaked scarf she was wearing, counting the stitches in the cloth, tracing the pattern embroidered into it, and feeling how soft the fabric was. Smiling, she pulled it up to her face, closing her eyes, and letting it rub across her cheek.

She smiled at the feeling, then paused before taking a deep breath. The fabric smelled of fresh rainwater and crisp woodland air, despite being so close to the sea. She sighed, hiding herself in the cloth, breathing in deeply. "Smells like him," she whispered to herself.

"Rayla?"

She quickly looked up and flushed when Callum caught her. "Umm… Callum?"

"We found a ship and a captain," he said, not even mentioning her actions as he waved her towards him. "Come on, he says we can board now. Let's go!"

Swallowing, Rayla hurried after him, walking across the port to one of several gangways. There was one where a man stood at the end, looking out to sea. Quickly, Rayla pulled her hood a little closer, but Callum just chuckled. "Don't worry about that. In fact, I could probably shift and he wouldn't care."

"What? Don't you dare!"

He smirked, then looked ahead at the man. "We're back Captain!" he called.

The man turned slowly, revealing his left eye was covered with a patch… and so was his right.

Rayla looked at Callum. "He's blind?"

"Yep. Captain, this is Rayla, our third passenger."

He nodded with a tip of his head. "Greetings! Name's Captain Villads."

"Villads?"

"Aye, with a silent D. And this is me first mate, Berto!"

A red, white, and blue bird sat on his shoulder, flapping his wings for a moment. "I'm a parrot."

"Me ship's this way," Villads said as he walked down the gangway to a large, single mast craft with large sails. The trio looked at it with smiles and trepidation, Rayla and Callum being the ones closer to trepidation than Ezran and Bait. The captain nodded as he introduced it. "Welcome to me water home, The Ruthless! Named after me dear wife, Ruth. Who sadly…" he sniffed, hand on his heart, "Don't enjoy sailing."

Ezran beamed as he made his way to the base of gangplank after the captain. "So, you said if the wind's on our side, we could make it across the bay pretty quickly?"

"Aye!" He paused, then looked to the sky as if he could still see it. "Course, there's a storm coming."

"A storm?" Callum beamed. "That could be fun."

Rayla elbowed him. "Don't even think about it!"

Still smiling, the hidden dragon lowered his head slightly. The captain however, nodded as he walked back down the gangplank. "So, we have to delay departing for a few days."

"Uh… that's not going to work. We're on a tight schedule." Rayla frowned. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

The captain thought for a moment, then nodded. "Hmm, I suppose if we leave right now, we could race across the bay and beat the storm."

"Perfect. Let's do that. We leave now!"

He turned back up the gangplank. "No problem! …Unless the storm catches us mid-bay, and kills us all."

As the group climbed aboard, Callum smirked at the elf. "I don't think we have to worry about a storm." He winked at her, his hand crackling subtly with lightning as he did. The female smacked his arm to get him to stop.

~#~

An hour later, the Ruthless was out in the middle of the bay, the main sail wide and taking them over the waves. Ezran was having a great time, standing at the front of the ship with his arms wide, enjoying the wind blowing against him while dolphins swam by the bow. Callum had shifted back to his hybrid form and found a barrel, sitting on it cross-legged as he drew. Rayla had built up the courage to stand on the top deck with the captain, talking about the weather and sailing.

As their conversation fell silent, she looked over the railing and sighed as she watched the dragon.

"You're in love," Villads said after a moment.

Instantly, Rayla gasped. "Wait… what? What did you say?"

"Don't deny it. You've been sighing all day."

"Sighing? I-I don't know what you mean. I haven't been sighing."

He chuckled softly, "I'm blind and got narcolepsy, but I'm not stupid missy. I can tell when someone's in love. Felt the same way when I met me dear Ruth."

Rayla frowned, looking over at Callum as he sat drawing. "It doesn't matter. I-it could never work."

"And why that be?"

"We're too different. He… he's destined for greatness and… and I'm just… I'm a nobody."

"Nobody is a nobody. Unless ya a ghost."

Rayla chuckled at him. "No, I'm no ghost but… he and I… we're too different from each other."

"What is he? A three-headed lizard?"

"Close enough," she mumbled, "But… nothing is going to change that… he's more than I will ever be."

"Isn't that up to him? I mean…" He scratched his beard for a moment. "What's that saying? Worth is in the eye of the beholder?"

"I think its beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

"Well beauty ain't much use to me," he gestured to his eyes, "So, I think worth is more than beauty."

Rayla thought about it for a while before heading down to the lower deck, walking over to Callum as he sat. "Hey Cal."

He smiled at her. "Hey, how are you holding out?"

"I try not to think that I'm surrounded by water, and on a fragile, sinkable… wooden boat. Yeah, not doing too good. You?"

The dragon smiled and turned back to his book. "I've been trying to keep my mind off it… drawing." He turned the book to show her his work. It was a landscape image, showing a large lake of water surrounded by rocks and trees.

"You're trying to keep your mind off the water… by drawing water?"

"It's the nexus. Lujanne showed it to me. I wanted to draw it."

"I know I always say this but… you're really talented, being able to do that from memory." She smiled, sitting down and leaning on the barrel he sat atop. "So… umm… I wanted to ask you something."

"Hmm?"

She blushed, holding her arm. "Do you… I mean… do you have…" she started, but then a loud crack of thunder above startled them.

Callum gasped as he quickly closed his book, seconds before the rain started to fall. "Captain! Where's somewhere dry?!" he shouted up.

"Head below deck if you're so scared of a little water!"

"I just want to protect my book," he huffed, heading below. Once he found a safe, dry place to set his book, he headed back to the upper deck. His tail and wings came in handy to keep his balance while the craft rocked back and forth with the sudden, growing waves. He looked up at the rain, smiling at the feeling of it pattering against his skin, but when the craft shuddered, he looked around the boat and saw Rayla swaying back and forth, hand to her mouth.

Quickly, he ran over to her, his arm around her waist to keep her still. "Rayla, you okay?"

"Yeah," she gagged, "Just…just doing a…glow toad impression."

He smiled, holding her close with his wing around her. "Come on, let's get below deck," he said, escorting her to the lower level of the ship. Above them, Villads and Berto managed to get the craft to a safe harbour to wait out the storm. Ezran had decided he'd wait by taking a nap, curling up in a hammock bed.

Callum chuckled as he watched him snore. "I'm beginning to think Ezran could sleep anywhere."

"So much for 'stuck up royals' eh?"

He smiled, watching her as she wiped her face of the water. "Rayla? You alright?"

"Just a little soggy," she moaned, pulling her knees up to her chest.

After a moment, Callum shifted over to her and put his arm around her shoulders. "Hey, it's going to be alright."

She smiled up at him. "Thanks Cal." Her eyes narrowed a little, "When did you start looking after me?"

"Sometime after you saved my life."

"Which time?"

"Hey, you've only saved it… two or three times."

She pouted playfully, looking away, "Nar, got to be more than that."

"Oh?"

"Yeah… certainly in the… hundreds."

He grinned, leaning towards her. "You've saved my life hundreds of times?" he teased, watching as she turned to him and blushed. "I think someone is getting a little too proud."

"Truthfully, it's the only thing I've got to be proud of." She looked away from him, a sad smile on her face.

"And what do you mean by that?" he asked, worried about her words and regretting his previous teasing.

"The only thing I've ever taken pride in… is being your protector, and now, your Dragon Guard. I've…I've failed at everything else. Always hesitating, always second-guessing. But being a guard, I know what my duty is. I can at least be proud of that, right?"

He smiled slightly, leaning over and kissing her forehead. "You have lots of things to be proud of Rayla. But if that's the one you want to concentrate on… then I won't stop you."

Rayla blushed at his kiss, then leaned into his shoulder. "Let's hope this storm passes quickly…. so we can get you home."

~#~

Opening her eyes, Rayla blinked as she sat up against the ship's side, looking around when she heard thunder crash. She must have drifted off.

Ezran was still asleep, and Villads and Berto had joined them below deck, both snoring against a sack of something, but Callum wasn't there. She stood up and ran over to the door to check outside, looking for him. He stood by the mast, eyes closed with his head raised to the sky. The rain ran over him and down his wings. He looked happy.

"Callum?"

He turned to her, his whole body drenched as he stood there. "Hey, you're awake."

"Yeah, what are you doing out here? You're soaked." She joined him, soon feeling the cold herself.

Slowly, he turned and held out his wing as a makeshift cover for her. "I don't feel it. The rain… it doesn't bother me."

"It will when you get sick from the cold."

"You're more likely to get sick than I am."

"Oh?"

"Call it my dragon instinct," he chuckled. "Ever since the nexus, I'm remembering more and more about being a dragon, but oddly, I don't remember learning it. It's like… I always knew. Like I knew… dragons can claim anyone as family, as long as both want to. And… how to fly and… how to do magic… everything." He huffed and looked away, "Well… almost everything."

"What do you mean?"

"I still can't remember her face. Or my father's. I can't remember… what my home looked like or… anything like that." He turned his gaze back to the sky, "But I know I like the rain. Helps me think."

The Dragon Guard looked back at the door to the lower deck. "I could… go back inside if you want to be alone."

"If you want to, I don't mind, but… I like you being near Rayla," he said honestly, making sure his wing kept her dry, even if the water dripped off his nose. "You're like a constant in my life. With us on the move all the time… it's good to have that."

She smiled, then moved a little closer to him. "I'll always be here for you Cal."

He grinned and leaned towards her, but then looked up at the sky the very moment lightning crossed above them. "Wow."

"Callum?"

"The power. It feels good." He smiled, leaning closer to her and kissing her brow.

She winced a little at the kiss, feeling tingles run across her skin, but when she looked back at him, she gulped. "Callum, you're… crackling again." She stepped back as she noticed lightning beginning to gather around him. "Like you did at the lodge."

"Ah…" he looked at his hands before closing his eyes and attempting to stop. It wasn't working, and he backed away from her as well. "Umm… yeah… I… I don't think I can stop this."

Swallowing, Rayla looked around before noticing a large rock near where they'd docked. "There! Go over there and let it go."

Nodding, he quickly hurried around her to the gangplank and off the ship, running down the dock with his whole body starting to spark. As he did, he cringed, the power too much for him to hold.

Rayla watched from the ship. "Callum!"

"I'm fine!" he shouted back, making his way up and safely away from the ship. The further he went, the more he looked like a fuzzy ball of light.

Rayla watched him with growing concern as the rain ran down her face. "If you die out there, I swear I'll kill you!"

She could almost hear his laughter as he climbed the rock and looked around, getting a little scared as the power continued to grow uncontrollably.

Reaching the top of the rocky hill, Callum knelt down to take a breather. He was soaked, and crackles of electricity were only gathering. Any moment now, the lightning would strike. At this point, he was basically a walking lightning rod. Rayla looked on in nervous impatience. He had never harnessed this much lightning before, whether that was good or bad, was yet to be determined.

She could only watch as he held up his hand with uncertainty, trying to release the power within. When the lightning finally struck, the flash was blinding and crossed the whole sky.

When the light died down, Rayla blinked and rubbed her eyes before looking to the rock. She just barely made out Callum's form before he collapsed to the ground. "Callum!" she screamed, jumping off the boat and running down the path. It wasn't easy to get up the hill in the rain, but she finally made it, spotting him lying face down with his clothes smoking a little.

"No-no-no-no-no!" she gasped, running over and kneeling at his side, turning him over and looking over his face. "Callum? Callum can you hear me?!"

He took a moment, then groaned, looking up at her and bursting out laughing, lightning sparking from his mouth as he did. "Whoa! What a rush! That was amazing!" he laughed, rolling back and forth.

The elf stared at him as he did. "You-you stupid lizard!" she shouted, striking him hard on the side, "You scared me to death and you're laughing!"

"Oww," he half laughed and half groaned, "Rayla, what was that for?"

"For scaring me!" she scolded him, "You could have died you big, dumb, stupid, scaly, idiotic lizard!" She sat, panting for breath before jumping forward and hugging him. "Don't ever do that again Callum. Don't scare me like that ever again!"

"Rayla."

"Promise me, you'll never go out into a storm like that again. Y-you scared me."

Holding her close, his laughter died, and Callum sighed into her neck. "I promise."

* * *

**SL: The Ruthless was always going to be an odd chapter to try and put in our AU. I think we did alright. And Villads thinking that Callum is scared of the rain… yeah, that was kinda funny. Also, can any one name the film a certain line in this chapter is a reference to? I'll give you a small hint; think Studio Ghibli.**

**RK: I didn't get the reference at first, cuz I'm a dunce like that. :P**


	17. Chapter 15 – Pyrrah

# Chapter 15 – Pyrrah

**SL: Due to life being life, we won't be able to publish on Friday, so you all get the chapters early! Back to normal on the 28th February**

* * *

It was two days on the boat: two days of Callum wishing he could fly, and two days of Rayla wishing she'd taken their offer to walk around. But finally, Villads and Berto announced there was land close by, and the trio gathered to watch as it came up over the horizon.

As it did however, something soared over the ship.

Callum quickly looked up at the sky and frowned. "Did anyone else feel that?"

"Feel what Callum?"

He stared up at the sky, his tail flicking by his leg. "I don't know… something." He watched the clouds for a while longer, trying to pinpoint what that feeling was.

~#~

Having made it to land, Rayla quickly got off, and hurried to get away from the water. She almost forgot to pull the hood of her cloak back up, and Callum somehow caught up to her and pulled it up before someone spotted. "Rayla! Horns!" he told her, then turned back. "Thank you Villads! And you too Berto."

"Aye, good luck on your travels!" Villads called, waving in the wrong direction until Berto corrected him.

As he climbed back onto the Ruthless and sailed back out to sea, Callum looked around the new town. "Not sure about you, but I fancy a hot meal."

"Oh yeah," Ez agreed as he put Bait on his shoulder, "A nice hot stew or a jelly tart!"

"Dunno about the tart, but there's an inn over there," Rayla noticed, "And a hot meal I'm not gonna throw up would be great."

"Come on then! We still have some gold left. Let's spend it!" Callum laughed as he led the way.

They entered the inn without being noticed too much. A few people turned to look at them, but then went back to their own business as the trio sat themselves in a corner. It was only a few minutes before a young man walked over to them.

"Welcome to The Calm Octopus. What can I get you?"

"Three nice, hot meals would be great please!" Ezran ordered, "And three glasses of water."

The man chuckled. "Just got off a boat I take it?"

"Yeah, it was… a long trip." Callum tried to smile. "Do you have a room open?"

"Yep, five gold for the night if you wanna stay?"

"Yes please."

"Alright me boy, I'll get you the key and yer food. Stay right there."

As the barman left, Rayla pulled down her scarf. "Callum, we still have a lot of…" she trailed off, worried someone might be listening. "We still have a long way to go. We might need some money."

"Rayla, relax. We're fine, honest." He patted his bag. "I got bored on the boat and counted it all, several times. It was relaxing. And we're fine."

She stared at him, then nodded. "Fine, I'll trust you. Money is…odd."

As they sat and waited for their meals, Callum began to look around the inn. Ezran wasn't bothered, too busy playing with Bait, and Rayla was trying not to draw attention to herself by scratching at a knot in the wood of the table. After a few minutes, a woman came over with three plates on her tray. "Right, so we got three hot stews? One for you, one for you… and one for you," she said, winking at Callum. "Got you an extra potato. Looks like you need to keep your strength up."

"Oh, thank you miss."

"No need for the miss, you can call me Rosa." She smiled kindly at him. "Say, I've got some apple pie cooling in the kitchen, would you like a slice after your stew? On the house." She leaned a little closer to him, "I might even be able to throw in a bit of cream."

"Yeah, that would be nice Rosa." Callum licked his lips at the idea. "Can Ez and Rayla have one too?"

"Sure thing cutie. Whatever you want." She waved at them and walked off.

Callum smiled as he watched her go, "She's nice."

"Yeah… nice," Rayla mumbled into her stew, "Did you have to go flirting with her?"

"Flirting?"

"You know, going all 'Oh Rosa, I'd love to try some of your apple pie'."

Callum frowned, poking at his meal. "Well… I would."

Rolling her eyes, she went back to her stew. "Whatever, just… just eat your food."

Head down, the dragon looked at his brother, but Ez just shrugged. Rayla's bad mood was a mystery to him too.

After their meal, Rosa brought back the apple pie as promised, although, Callum's was a fair bit bigger than Ez or Rayla's slice.

"Anything else I can get for you cutie?"

Callum looked at her, then stood up. "I just wanted to say, I wasn't… flirting with you before."

A few of the other people in the bar turned to see him while Rosa blushed, and Rayla pulled her hood over her face in embarrassment.

"Y-you what?"

"I wasn't flirting before. Rayla seems to think I was flirting with you, and I wanted to say, I wasn't. I don't even know what flirting is. So… I wasn't."

A few of the tables began to snigger at the barmaid, but Rosa just smiled. "Well… aren't you a sweet one," she said, then leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Thank you. Now sit back down before you cause your friend there to burst into flames."

"What? Rayla? Are you going to burst into flames?"

"Just sit down you dumb lizard," she muttered under the cloak.

Suddenly feeling like he'd made a fool of himself, Callum sat down and shrank back. "Umm… Ray-"

"Not. Another. Word." she snapped, pulling her hood away enough to show her furious eyes and flushed cheeks. "You don't say another word while we are in this town."

"But-"

"Ah! Not. Another. Word."

The dragon lowered his head again and went back to his free dessert, practically licking the plate clean without making a sound.

Once finished, Rayla decided to head off, but when Callum tried to follow, she told him to stay in their room at the inn with Ezran, and left.

Deciding to do as told, Ez sighed as he looked around the room. "So… what are we going to do now?"

Callum just shrugged silently before finding a spot to sit and draw for a while, but every image ended up being thrown out. He was unable to concentrate. After a few hours, Rayla returned. "Path ahead is clear," she explained, "Shouldn't be too hard to walk. We'll leave in the morning."

"Great," Ez replied.

Callum smiled and nodded in agreement, but kept his mouth shut.

Rayla frowned at him. "Callum? Why aren't you talking?"

He looked at her, confused, then tipped his head, gesturing to the floor.

"You… think someone's listening?" she guessed.

He shook his head, pointed at her, and then the floor.

"You think… I should go downstairs?"

This time he glared at her.

Ezran chuckled as he stepped forward. "You told him downstairs that he couldn't say another word while in this town."

"What? Oh for crying out loud, Callum, I was joking! You can still talk."

He shook his head and looked away in defiance.

Rayla blinked at him. "Wait… are you mad at me?"

He nodded.

"And you're giving me the silent treatment?"

He looked confused by the term, so Ez stepped in. "It's where you deliberately don't talk to someone."

With a silent 'oh', Callum nodded at the elf and stuck his tongue out at her.

Rayla glared at him. "You're being a baby."

He gave a smug look and nodded.

The elf sighed as she moved to sit beside him. "Callum, please, don't be like this. Look, I was upset and embarrassed when you said those things downstairs. I mean… that girl was just trying to do her job, sell some things, and make her customers happy and… well, I didn't like the way she spoke to you."

He frowned, confused.

"You know? All 'cutie' and 'keep your strength up'. She was flirting," she sighed, looking away, "I just… I got mad at her… and you for not telling her off."

He looked away from her as well, thinking. "So…" he said softly, "You were… jealous?"

"What?!" Rayla scoffed suddenly, "No… I never said I was… jealous."

"Then… why were you mad?"

She froze, staring at him.

"Rayla?" he asked again, turning to face her, "Why were you mad when Rosa was flirting with me?"

The elf remained frozen, then cleared her voice, and climbed down from the windowsill. She grabbed his cloak and headed for the door. "I need to clear my head," she told them, "Stay here. Both of you."

With that, she left once more. Callum turned to Ezran. "What was that about?"

"I dunno… dad always says 'a wise man never tries to understand a woman'. He said I was too young to know what it means but… maybe you're old enough?"

Looking at the door, the dragon just sighed, "I have no idea Ez. Hey, come over here so I can draw you and Bait."

~#~

The sky was cloudy and the moon barely shone above, perfect conditions for a night attack. Pyrrah smirked to herself as she flew towards the targeted settlement. She'd been scoping it out for the last few nights, and now it was time to strike.

The humans would pay for their attacks on Xadia.

As she headed towards the town and passed over the forest, she almost felt her heart stop. There was another dragon nearby. She turned around and tried to pinpoint the source. Whoever this dragon was, they were powerful. Powerful enough for her to sense them from so high above. Almost as if…

She stopped that trail of thought. That wasn't possible.

Slowly, she worked out the location and flew in a different direction. She landed a fair bit away so the unknown dragon wouldn't sense her, and she shifted to her human form. If this dragon was smart, they would also be in human form.

She walked around, looking for any sign of the presence. What she found was a little surprising. Not only was it a dragon in hybrid form, but an elf and a human sat with him around a fire. All of them looked young.

The dragon was radiating power. The closer she got, the more she realised he was a sky dragon. A young one too, but… there was only one mated sky dragon pair.

That would make this dragonling…

She shook her head. No, it couldn't be!

Suddenly, she heard movement and a voice. "Callum, shift!" someone hissed before the power dimmed dramatically. Moments later, the elf ran out from the cave they were hiding in, blades at the ready as she stared at Pyrrah. "Oi! Human! What're you doing here?!"

Pyrrah frowned at her. 'How dare you turn your blade to me, elf! I'll bite your head off!' she thought, but then put on a smile. "I saw your fire. I was hoping to rest somewhere for the night."

"Yeah, sorry, no humans allowed."

"Oh? But you have two humans with you, or are they a sprite and a goblin?"

The elf glanced back, then at her. "You'd sit at a fire with an elf?"

"I'd sit anywhere that is warm," she played along.

"Rayla," the small human pleaded, "Come on, it's cold tonight. I bet it's going to snow, and we're miles away from the next town. I say we let her stay the night."

'What a kind human… I'll kill him quickly,' she decided, looking at the boy she knew was a dragon.

He stared at her, then frowned. "Let her stay," he decided at last.

As if under his power, the elf retracted her blades and went to sit by the fire. "Alright, you can join us. But no funny business!"

"Wouldn't dream of it." She smirked as she walked over and sat by the fire, looking over the trio. They also looked at her; she had short, black hair that framed bright blue eyes, and she was dressed in a short, red gown with a high collar, but exposed her shoulders and golden finery. "So… an elf travelling with two… humans. That's unusual."

"We're an unusual group," the elf, Rayla, huffed, poking the fire for a moment. "What about you? Travelling alone in the dark? Dressed like that? Bit stupid if you ask me."

"Mind your tone, elf!" she snapped before she could control herself, "I can protect myself perfectly fine."

"How? I'm not seeing any weapons on you."

"You don't need weapons to be dangerous."

"Oh really, you wanna try it?"

"Rayla, will you calm down?" the dragon sighed, "Sorry about her, she's… not too good around new faces."

"I guessed. And you are?"

"Callum. This is Ezran."

"You can call me Pyrrah. And where are you three headed?"

"Nonya," Rayla said before anyone else could speak.

Pyrrah frowned, not knowing the location. "Nonya?"

"None ya business," she finished with a glare.

The female dragon glared back at her then turned to the others. "Your elf could do with some manners."

"We invited you to our fire," Callum reminded her, "You'd do well to show some respect. I would advise you not to insult her."

Pushing some hair behind her ear, the visitor sighed deeply. "Why should I care if I insult an elf? They are inferior, dumb creatures in the servitude of greater ones."

Ezran frowned. "That's not a very nice thing to say."

"Perhaps, but it's true. Humans are cattle, elves are sheep, and dragons, the wolves."

"What would you know about dragons?" Callum questioned, narrowing his eyes at the stranger.

Pyrrah shrugged. "Enough. More than any of you, that's for sure."

"Really?" Callum asked with a slight smugness, "Then what do you know about a dragon's powers?"

The female laughed. "That they are limitless! A dragon is pure magic and power! Some used to say the sky dragons were the strongest, but…" she scoffed, "Not anymore. They are the weakest, rarest, and stupidest kind."

Rayla reached out and held Callum's arm, pulling him back before he could lash out.

Catching the movement, Pyrrah smirked. "After all, the King of the Dragons was a sky dragon, and look what happened to him. Killed by a single, feeble human. Pathetic."

The other dragon growled lowly, trying to keep his temper.

"And his mate? The queen? Ha, don't make me laugh! She's the weakest of them all! She didn't even give the order to retaliate!" She turned her head to look at the other dragon directly. "If you ask me, the queen is a lazy, weak, and useless excuse of a monarch."

That was the last straw. Callum jumped up to his feet, his wings spreading wide as he charged at the human. However, Pyrrah got up herself and shifted to hybrid, her own wings coming out as she prepared to fight the youngling.

Callum barely even registered that it was a dragon he was fighting, his anger blinding him as he lashed out. His talons aimed for her face, but Pyrrah just blocked and dodged, having years of experience against the young dragon.

He tried to sweep her legs with his tail, but she saw it coming a mile away, and stepped on it before he had the chance. She tripped him up so he landed on his back, her knee on his chest, and her hand over his neck.

She smirked. "Knew it. You're a dragon. Sky too by the look of it. Only question is; how?"

"What are you talking about?!" Callum snapped as he struggled to get free.

"There are very few sky dragons left. Most have died or left Xadia… I can think of only two that were alive when you would've been sired… so that means...you must be their child." She knelt forward towards him, sniffing a few times. "But you can't be. You can't be him. He's dead."

"If you mean the Dragon Prince, then you're wrong!" Rayla snapped, her blades at the ready if she made another move, "He's the Dragon Prince, Cadonumis."

"He's dead!" the raven-haired dragon snapped, looking at the imposter below her, "Cadonumis is dead!"

"No… I'm quite alive," he mumbled under her chokehold, "And I'll prove it. Fulminis!"

Rayla was smart enough to grab Ezran and cover him with her body as the lightning shot into the cave and collided with the attacker. She screamed in pain and let him go, allowing him to back off and stand with his friends.

Pyrrah panted as pain coursed through her, and backed off towards the mouth of the cave while glaring at the group. "The royal dragons are done!" she cursed at them, "They are cowards, failures to our kind, weaklings, and fools! Xadia will be better off without them! We will rid the world of these pathetic humans, even without their permission! We will take the west for our own!"

Callum growled and charged towards her, but she jumped off the cliff, shifting as she did, and took to the sky as a full dragon once more.

As she disappeared into the clouds, Callum let out a deep sigh. "Well, that wasn't a great first impression of dragons," he said casually, looking over the pair, "You two alright?"

"Us? You're the one who went berserk," Rayla scolded.

"Hey, no one insults my mother or my friends," he growled, then sighed, leaning over and nuzzling them both in apology. "Sorry if I scared you."

"It's alright Cal," Ez chuckled as the scales brushed against his cheek.

Rayla looked out the cave entrance, checking to make sure she was gone, then nodded. "She must have been a western dragon. They live on this side of the border. They tend to be a little… shall we say… salty?"

"Any saltier, and she would have been an ocean."

~#~

Soren tried not to grumble as he held the rope tied to his 'prisoner'. For the last few days, he had been trying to help the hunter escape so he could resume his mission of helping Ezran and Callum, but each time he tried, Claudia caught him. He was beginning to think she was getting suspicious.

When they arrived at a town, he finally came up with a workable idea. "Claudia, why don't we ditch Corvus in jail or something and be done with him? Then, we can… go back to tracking the princes."

"Princes?" The mage frowned.

He coughed. "Prince, of course, only one prince."

"That's better. And I agree, we will leave the traitor at a jail, and hopefully, we can still pick up their trail."

"Yeah… hopefully."

Corvus stayed silent. He'd been doubtful at first of the Crown Guard's intentions, but now he knew he was genuinely trying to help, to help him escape. If he could get into a jail, he could easily escape and catch up. He'd been keeping mental notes on any signs he saw while bound to the siblings, so he had an idea of where they were. He just needed to lose the mage.

When they arrived at the town and walked through an impressive gate, Soren looked around for anyone of authority. "We're looking for a town jail? We've got a horrible traitor to lock up for, uh, traitorous words and deeds," he bluffed.

No one even looked at him, too busy looking upwards at the sky.

Soren frowned at them. "Umm, excuse me? Crown Guard here."

"Uh, something's weird," his sister observed as she also looked upwards.

"I know! No one's listening to me," he grumbled, glancing at Corvus to see if he could escape, but a minute shake of his head showed it wasn't the right time.

Suddenly, one of the town's guards pointed upwards. "There! It's back!"

Everyone looked up to see a shadow flying over the clouds above them, the outline, unmistakable. "Is that…" Soren started, almost about to say 'Callum', but he stopped himself.

The guards nodded at the man on his horse. "A dragon? Yeah, this is the third night in a row it's flown over us."

"And you haven't shot it down yet?" Claudia scoffed, "What are those ballistas for?" She pointed to a tower, far taller than anything else in the town.

The guard shrugged. "Well, it hasn't attacked us."

"So?" the mage huffed, "It's the enemy."

"Claudia, if it hasn't attacked…" Soren started, but his sister shot him a hard glare.

"We're taking command here. My brother is a Crown Guard and I'm a dark mage. So, we're more qualified than any of you. Now, man those ballistas!"

As she climbed down and the guards hurried to the tower, Soren kept hold of the rope for Corvus. "Claudia, wait… if that dragon isn't attacking, it might just be trying to scare us."

"Well I'm not going to give it a chance," she huffed, then took the rope from her brother, "Aim for the big ugly thing before it attacks the town!"

Emotionally torn between what to do, Soren looked at the dragon. The dragon flew low over the village this time, and he could see it was red, not blue and silver like his friend, but… it was still his kind. He couldn't hurt it. But if he didn't, his sister would do far worse.

He frowned and decided to try and scare it off, taking aim, but firing below the beast, hitting an unmanned wall instead.

The dragon flew upwards into the thicker clouds, and for a moment, the guard thought he'd done it.

But then it came back and roared at the tower, igniting one of the other ballistas before going for the town itself. Soren could only watch in horror as it attacked innocents. "Claudia! Help me take aim on that beast!" he shouted to her, hardening his heart to the creature. He'd shown mercy. And now, it was going to pay.

As he and the other guards took aim with the remaining ballistas, he glared as the beast came around for another attack. "FIRE!" he ordered once it got in range, and three bolts fired at it. Unfortunately, it avoided them all and shot its own blast at them. The troops managed to get to cover in time, but one more crossbow was lost.

Soren looked over the damage the attack was causing before turning to his 'prisoner', drawing his sword, and cutting the ropes away. Claudia gasped. "Soren, what are you doing?"

"There are people out there in need of help, and he can help." He nodded at the hunter, "Go, help as many people as you can."

Corvus stood up and looked at the pair, but focused on Soren. "Don't get yourself killed," he told him, then hurried to do what was asked of him. The siblings stood with one of the few remaining defences.

The Crown Guard watched the dragon as it continued to burn the town. "I think we really messed up this time, Clauds," he told her, looking at the fire and smoke. "I don't know how to stop it."

"Don't say that yet." His sister smirked as she rummaged around in her bag until she found a small box. "I have an idea!" She opened it up and looked at the contents. "It's the eye of a gryphon. With this, I can enchant a ballista bolt to never miss its target, no matter what!"

Soren peeked into the box and almost gagged at the item, staring at the back of his sister's head as he thought about all the lives her magic had cost. Gryphons, dragons, wasps… all of them dead so she could do magic. He frowned at her, disgust no longer just from the eye. "So, you just carry a gryphon eyeball around with you? Who does that?"

His sister didn't look happy at his statement. "Oh, how about, 'Thank you for carrying a gryphon's eye with you Claudia. You're so prepared. You're the best'."

"Claudia, a gryphon died for you to have that," he reminded her.

"Yeah, and now, no one else will die because of that dragon! Just turn the ballista to aim at it!" she snapped. She stood by the arrow and chanted as she squeezed the eye between her fingers, and spread the enchantment over the arrowhead.

Once ready, Soren fired, only to protect the town, and watched as the bolt flew past the dragon before turning around and chasing it. The beast managed one more attack, toppling the top half of the tower, but then noticed the bolt and tried to avoid it. Nothing worked, and eventually, it dug deep into its side.

~#~

Miles away, Callum suddenly gasped, and clutched his side before running out of the cave. Rayla and Ez followed him as he looked up at the clouds. "What is it Callum?"

"Pyrrah. The dragon who was here… she's hurt."

"What?"

"She's been hit."

"Good riddance if you ask me," Rayla huffed, "She was rude and arrogant."

"She's also a dragon!" Callum snapped, "She's not far from here! Come on!" he shouted, already running off into the night.

Rayla frowned, then looked back at Ezran. "Stay here with Bait, it might be dangerous."

"But…"

"I can't watch out for you, Callum, and Pyrrah. Please Ez, stay here!" she begged, but ran off before he could give a reply. She caught up with Callum quickly, and looked around for any sign of the dragoness. "Where is she?"

"Close… she might have shifted if she's hurt." He searched the area for a moment longer, then pointed in one direction. "There!"

Running towards the crash site, they soon found a large, red dragon with black and yellow markings, lying on her side. Callum hastily ran over to her. "What happened?"

"T-the humans…" Pyrrah moaned, "T-they shot me down."

"Can you shift?" Callum asked, looking her over, "If you shift, we can get you out of here."

She groaned as she tried, then shook her head. "I can't… the Dark Magic is preventing me."

"D-dark…" the prince stuttered, then looked her over and spotted something in her side. "Rayla! There! The arrow."

Rayla nodded, lifting her wing up and grabbing the bolt. She pulled on it sharply, instantly feeling the last of the Dark Magic trying to influence her.

Callum stood by the dragon's head and nodded. "Can you move now?"

She groaned again, letting her head rest on the ground. "I'm too tired."

"Come on, if you don't move soon, the humans that did this to you are going to catch up!"

Her eyes drifted closed. "Let them. Maybe it will show you the true nature of humans."

"They will kill you!"

She released a small, groaning purr. "Let them…"

Callum stared at her, then looked up to the trees when he heard horses in the distance. "They're coming."

"Callum, we need to get out of here!" Rayla gasped, grabbing his arm and pulling him, but he dug his feet in. "Callum, they're coming!"

"We can't just leave her."

"We have to, or they'll catch us too! We need to get back to Ezran! Please!"

Callum looked down at the dragon as she cracked open her eye, resigning herself to her fate. He swallowed, then shook his head. "I'm sorry." He darted into the trees, running up a bank, and hiding in the foliage just as a group of soldiers on horseback entered the clearing.

Looking back, Callum felt his breath hitch when he saw who was at the front: the high mage's children, both of them.

Rayla glared over his head at them. "How did they catch up with us so quickly?"

"Dark Magic probably. That, or they didn't stop like we did," Callum growled, hiding in the bushes, "I had a feeling it was her."

"We need to leave, now. If they find you… she'll kill you."

"She's going to kill Pyrrah."

"We did the best we could for her. She's on her own now. Come on Callum, let's go back."

He stared at the pair, then back at her. "I want to see what Soren does."

"Soren?" the elf huffed, backing into cover, "Why?"

"I want to see."

From their position, the pair observed the siblings. The Crown Guard looked at the dragon before climbing down from his horse and going over to Pyrrah, who appeared to be unconscious once more. Callum almost shouted out, and Rayla had to pull him back when they saw Soren kick the dragon, then turn to the others. "Secure the beast!" he ordered.

The pair could only watch as guards wrapped the dragon in chains that glowed faintly.

"Dragon bindings," Rayla whispered, "They are enchanted to stop a dragon from shifting."

"Dark Magic."

"Xadian, actually."

"What?"

"Every few hundred years… a dragon might need stopping, so those are used to control them."

"How do they have them?"

"Been around for centuries, even before the split," she explained, then pulled on his arm. "Come on Callum, let's get out of here before they notice us. It's too dangerous to be here."

"You go back to Ezran. I'm staying here."

"But…"

"If I have a chance to free her, I need to take it."

"Callum-"

He turned to face her, his eyes stern. "She's a dragon, and I'm the Dragon Prince. It's my duty to help her."

"If you get caught…" she stared back at him, "Callum, you made me your Dragon Guard. That means guarding you."

"Then stay and help me."

"Do you see how many guards there are?" She pointed to the clearing as the men worked to chain Pyrrah to the ground.

Callum looked as well, but he simply nodded. "I only need one." His eyes narrowed as he slowly moved around the clearing to get closer before she could stop him.

The dark mage was reading a book, the markings on the front proving it was of Dark Magic, but Callum slowly picked up a small rock from the ground, and threw it at his target.

It bounced off the blonde guard's head perfectly.

"Ow!" Soren hissed, rubbing his head and checking behind him. He noticed a familiar pair of green eyes looking at him. He blinked, then looked at his sister. "I'm just going to check the perimeter."

"Hmm? Yeah sure whatever," she mumbled as she turned the pages of her book. "Ohh, dragon snot spells!"

Walking away from the dragon, Soren headed for the trees where he'd seen Callum, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Psst, Scales, it's me."

"Over here."

He was hiding behind a tree, shifted into human form in case anyone else spotted them. Soren let out a sigh and checked behind him. "Cal, you have to get out of here, now. Claudia is determined we kill you. It's not safe."

"I can't, not when you're trapping Pyrrah."

"Pyrrah?"

"The red dragon back there," he explained. "Soren, I can't let you hurt her."

"She's also dangerous. Did you know she attacked a full town of people last night? At least fifty people are dead, and over a hundred lost their homes due to her."

Callum looked away. "I didn't know that. I only met her briefly last night, and she never mentioned an attack or I would have stopped her. I'm sorry."

"You didn't attack the town Scales," he walked over and held his friend's shoulder, "I know you never would. But… I can't… I can't turn a blind eye to people in need of help. If I let her go… she'll just attack again."

"She won't."

"How can you know?"

"Because I'm her prince," he growled, glaring at him, "I can command her to do whatever I say. And if I tell her to go back to Xadia, to not attack another human settlement ever again, she has to obey."

The guard smirked. "Dragon thing?"

"You bet it Dumb Lump," the other returned with a smile, "It's good to see you again by the way."

"And you. But… where's your deadly elf friend?"

"Either in the trees watching your sister, or back with Ezran."

"She's not watching you?"

He shrugged. "She knows I'm safe with you."

Feeling a little proud of the trust, Soren nodded. "Glad to hear it. So, what are we going to do about the other dragon? You know I can't just… let it go."

"But if you don't help me, your sister is going to cut her up and use her for her perverted magic. You can't agree with that. I can see it in your eyes!" He sighed and looked back in the direction of the clearing. "Look, if we're going to stop this war, if we're going to change the way things are, we can't just watch while humans and Xadians keep hurting each other. We have to take a stand."

Soren thought about it, but then sighed. "I'm sorry Callum… I'm not ready to do that. Not yet."

"Then help me take the stand." He turned, glaring at him. "I have an idea, and it's a good thing Rayla isn't here because she would kill me if she found out."

* * *

**SL: Before we go any further, I just need to say… HOW FRIGGING HARD IS IT TO SPELL PYRRAH! I MUST HAVE SPELLED IT 5 DIFFERENT WAYS WHEN WRITING THIS OUT! Thank you Ray for checking and changing them all to one spelling.**

**Back to the chapter, yes, here's Pryyah (STILL CAN'T SPELL IT RIGHT!) in her dragon and human form. And we also get Soren back! YA! Which is great news for Ray because (if you didn't know) she is a… slight fan of shipping Pyraah (AGAIN!) and Soren.**

**RK: Story never spells Pyrrah right. It's both hilarious and painful, since I'm the editor that has to change em all! Story's right tho. I ship it so hard, like yas! :3**

**SL: We even came up with our own ship name for them; Pyrren. Long may she sail.**


	18. Chapter 16 – The Rise and Fall

#  Chapter 16 – The Rise and Fall

Soren stretched his back as he left the trees, and looked over the dragon while his sister examined it. "Claudia? Everything alright?"

"It's still alive. I can hear it breathing. It's faint but… still there." She smirked a little. "Dad wanted the other dragon back… but you think he'd be alright with _this_ dragon instead? If we keep it alive and let it shift… we could take it back."

The guard nodded, even if the idea made him feel sick. "We could try."

"Hey, dragon! Wake up!" She knelt down and began to poke around the eye and the chained muzzle. "Come on, wake up."

There was a faint growl of irritation, but nothing changed.

Claudia grumbled in frustration, then reached up to the dragon's neck to pull on one of the spines, snapping it like an old, dry twig. The pain made the dragon flinch, but she didn't wake or move. Looking at her new prize, Claudia sighed as she stood back up. "We'll have to wait for it to wake up," she muttered, then walked away.

As she left, Soren quickly checked to make sure no one else was near, then knelt down. "Psst, Pyrrah? I have a message from Cadonumis," he whispered.

The dragon's eye cracked open a little. "Cadonumis?" she whispered back, "How do you know that name?"

"He's a friend. Listen, he wanted me to tell you, he's going to cause a distraction for you to escape. When you can, fly to the cave, and meet him there."

Pyrrah closed her eye again. "How do I know you're not trying to trick me?"

"He said… to tell you… dragonic regiis… fi-fi-fid…." He cursed. "I can't remember the last word."

"Fiducia," the red dragon sighed, then opened her eye again, "Very well. I will do as you say."

Looking into her bright blue eye, Soren nodded. "I'm going to loosen your chains. Should allow you to escape. Wait for the prince's distraction, then go."

"What kind of distraction?"

"You'll know when it happens."

"Soren? What are you doing?" He turned around to see Claudia holding her book to her chest.

"Just checking the chains," he lied, messing with the chain near the snout. "Hate for it to get loose and shift."

"Good idea. Let me help."

"No, I got it," he said, standing up and blocking her. "Have you…decided what part you want first?"

The mage turned back to her book. "I think I'll go for the blood. From this, it looks like any dragon blood will work to subdue a dragon of the same Primal Source, even if the blood didn't come from that particular dragon."

"In other words…" her brother said with a frown.

"In other words, I could use the blood of _this_ dragon to subdue… _another one_." She smirked and closed her book, "I need a bowl and a knife, see if I can make it work."

As she hurried away to get the items, Soren turned back to Pyrrah. "Hope you're strong enough now," he whispered as he slowly walked around and fiddled with each peg. He loosened them to the point where they barely held down the creature's breathing. "Slow your breathing," he hissed as he knelt by her side, "You're going to pull the chains loose."

The growl showed she didn't approve, but then her chest began to slow and stopped pulling on the chains.

With the rest of the chains 'checked', Soren made his way to the side, and picked up a water skin as planned. In the trees, Callum stood watching for the signal. Once he saw, he quickly checked to see if he was alone, then walked out into the clearing. "Hey, what's going on here?" he called to the guards in his human form.

The guards turned, ready for a fight, but upon seeing him, relaxed slightly. "Nothing to see," one said, holding a hand up to stop him, "Be on your way."

Callum stopped and smirked slightly. "I don't think so. See… you're holding my friend down," he said, then allowed himself to shift, spreading his wings wide to scare them. He held out his hand. "Fulminis!"

Power shot from his hand and jumped from one metal suit to the next, taking down three before they had a chance to stop him. The downed guards groaned in pain, but they were still alive.

The others quickly charged on the second dragon, spears at the ready, but Callum grabbed a sword from one of the fallen guards and ran at them, dodging their attacks as he got closer. A guard turned to attack again, bringing a dagger around and managing a slash at the hybrid.

Callum grunted at the pain, but continued to run away from Pyrrah, getting the guards to follow him. Unfortunately, they soon had him surrounded, a collection of spears pointed at him. Trapped in a circle of blades, Callum growled, calling on his lightning once more.

Soren ran over to the guards and held out his hand. "Back off! Don't let the lightning touch you!" he ordered to the others. He needed a way to get his friend out without blowing his cover or letting someone get hurt.

It was at that moment that Pyrrah decided to make her move, standing up sharply and throwing the chains that had restrained her. She roared to scare the guards off, then shifted down to hybrid form, running at the guards and tackling Soren. She pinned him to the ground, snarling. "Let him go or I'll rip his throat out!"

"Not going to happen," came a female voice, and Pyrrah looked up just in time to see the dark mage squeeze something with her eyes turning black. She cast a spell, aiming it at the dragoness holding her brother down.

"Pyrrah! Look out!"

The red dragon looked up as the dragonling ran at her and stood between her and the mage.

Claudia gasped as she realised who the other dragon was. "Callum?" She frowned at him. "You had your chance to come peacefully. Now you're coming whether you like it or not!"

Callum held his ground against her. "Don't test me witch!"

The mage frowned as she held up her own hand and continued the spell, dark lightning coming out towards the dragons. The sky dragon held up his hand as the dark magic came towards him. "Fulminis!" he shouted yet again, the two electrical sources meeting in the middle, sparking off each other, and creating a web of electricity that had every single guard running for cover.

Holding his own, Callum grabbed his hand, feeling the dark magic pushing against his powers. Like on the ship, the power was flowing into him uncontrollably. But this felt wrong. There was no joy in this flow of power, only pain.

He grunted, falling to one knee as he tried to push his own power against the mage, but she appeared to be the stronger of the two. The dark lightning came at him and wrapped around his body, making him scream and collapse.

Pyrrah gasped as she watched, then growled, transforming into her full form and charging at him. She didn't care about the magic as it struck her. The dragoness just grabbed the prince in her claws and took to the air as fast as she could, making sure to get out of the witch's range. She flew quickly with her limited strength to the cave, landing close, and shifting as she did. "Elf! Human! I need help!"

Having seen her approach, Ezran and Rayla ran out of the cave to help. "Callum!" they shouted, Rayla quickly looking over his bleeding side and pained expression. "What happened?!"

"He tried to save me. He got hurt and… there was a mage, she did Dark Magic on him. Look, help me get him inside. I can't carry him myself," the dragon said, wincing at her own wounds.

Rayla took the prince and helped him to the cave. She gently put him down on the rocks with the supply bag as a pillow. She placed a hand on his brow, then flinched back as dark lightning zapped her.

Ezran was helping Pyrrah sit down against the wall when she looked at the others. "That's the spell the mage used."

"How far behind us are they?" Rayla asked.

"It will take them several hours even on horseback to get here."

"That's not long. We need to move. Can you fly?"

The dark-haired woman shook her head. "Not right now. I need to rest. I have my own wounds you know?"

"Ez, help her."

While the human did move to help, Pyrrah pulled away from him with a hiss. "I won't let some _human_ touch me."

"Fine, then sit there and bleed to death," Rayla huffed, "Makes little difference to me."

Guessing her choices were limited, Pyrrah nodded and allowed Ez to bandage her side where the bolt had been. As he wrapped it over her clothes, Ezran looked at her. "You know, you could be a little nicer."

"Why?"

"Because Callum _did_ save your life."

"And risked his own."

"That's the kind of person he is!" Rayla snapped as she stared at the dragon lying before her. "Putting his life before others. We could have left you back there, and by now, you'd either be cut up into tiny bits or forced to shift so they could spend the rest of your life harvesting from you."

"What?"

"That's what they did to Callum," Ezran explained as he finished bandaging her arm, "For the last ten years… he's been… chained up, and had his blood taken for Dark Magic."

Her eyes widened. "I...didn't know."

"Yeah, well, you didn't give him a chance to explain last night. You just insulted his family then flew away," Rayla huffed, "You western dragons are the worst."

She hissed at the elf. "Watch your tongue!"

"No, you watch yours!" Rayla shouted back, standing up and drawing a blade, "I don't want to hear another insult out of you Pyrrah, or you'll wish the mage still had you. You just sit there, and get stronger so you can fly us out of here."

"What?"

"Callum can't shift into a full dragon, and he's too weak to do anything right now. So, you are going to get stronger, shift into your draconic form, then carry us to the border."

She quirked a brow. "Only the border? Why not make me take you all the way to the Storm Spire?"

"I don't think I could stand your presence any longer than that. Besides, there is something I need you to do here in the west."

The red dragon glared at her, then looked away with a huff. "Fine. I'll _try_ not to insult you."

"Good. Now, do you have any idea how we can help Callum? He's not looking too good." She glanced at the prince as he lay still, black sparks crossing his body.

Pyrrah thought about it. "I'm a sun dragon, I don't know much about sky… but… if he's anything like me, the Dark Magic has probably thrown his body out of harmony with his Arcanum."

"How do we fix it?"

"Carefully. One wrong move and it'll throw the harmony off completely, and he'll never use magic again."

"So, how do we fix it?"

She thought in silence once more, then shook her head. "I don't think we can."

"What?!"

"Once, when my Arcanum got thrown out of harmony, the other sun dragons surrounded me, and I was able to put it back by synchronising with theirs. Callum would need another sky dragon to do that. So… he'll have to do it himself."

"But… there are no other sky dragons!"

"That's why I said he has to do it himself you stupid elf!" she growled, then winced, holding her side.

Ezran helped support her as she almost collapsed, then stared at Rayla. "She needs to rest."

With a sigh, Rayla nodded and turned back to Callum. "Alright Callum, you can do this. Concentrate, and get your Arcanum back into harmony."

Now with both dragons out of action, the elf, human, and glow toad could do nothing but sit and wait. However, as they did, Rayla heard something behind them and quickly stood up, blades drawn. "Who's there? Show yourself, or I'll greet you with my pointy friends!"

Someone _did_ come around the bend, the tall dark-haired man from the nexus. Ezran frowned as he held Pyrrah down. "Corvus? W-what are you doing here?"

With his weapon safely at his side, Corvus held up his hands. "I'm not here to fight."

"Then why are you here?"

"I know you are travelling with the Xadian Dragon Prince, the one believed to have been killed ten years ago. And while I commend you for taking him home Ezran, I need you to come back to Katolis with me."

"What? Why?"

"Your aunt sent me to get you…" He paused, then placed his hand on his chest, getting down on one knee. "For I am here to serve you, King Ezran."

Rayla held back a gasp, and Pyrrah in the corner raised an eyebrow at the new development.

The young boy just shook his head. "But I'm not the king. I'm just a prince. My dad is…" It struck him suddenly, even moreso when he saw Rayla holding back tears. "Wait, that's not what you're saying. He isn't…"

Corvus looked away as well, not knowing how to break the news.

"No! No, no, no!" the boy shouted, covering his mouth.

Rayla slowly stepped closer. "Ezran, it's going to be okay."

"You knew?!" he gasped. "I'm an idiot! I should have figured it out. When we met you, you had two of those assassiny, ribbony things, but one of them came off that night!"

She looked away in shame. "That's right. That must have been when he fell."

"_Fell?!_" he snapped, anger rising.

"Yes."

"_Fell_? He didn't _fall_, Rayla! He didn't trip and land on the ground. He got killed!" He took a moment, then looked at the dragon behind him. "Callum… he knew… he knew you were hiding something from us! Does he know?"

"Yeah… he knows."

"And he didn't tell me!"

"He wanted to… to save you the pain."

"Like I was never going to find out?! We couldn't keep going forever! I would've gone home eventually!" he sighed, then walked out of the cave. "I'm going for a walk."

Corvus quickly stood in his way. "I can't let you go alone."

Eyes set, Ezran glared at him. "If I am the king, then you have to let me go."

The guard frowned, but then side-stepped to let him pass.

Rayla soon followed him. "You're not my king," she called, "But you're my friend, and I'm coming with you."

With a deep sigh, Ezran shook his head. "Rayla, please. Just let me go be alone. Stay and… and look after Callum. Please."

As he walked off, Pyrrah forced herself to her feet. "I'll follow him," she said as she limped past, but then collapsed, Corvus grabbing her as she did.

"Easy there miss."

"It's Pyrrah to you, human," she snapped, but accepted his help as he sat her back down.

Rayla snorted at the male. "Yeah, she's a dragon. And a bit snappy too."

"Dragon or not, she's hurt," the man explained, reaching to his side and pulling a flask out. "Here, drink this, it will help with the pain."

"What is it? Poison?"

"If it is, at least we'll get some peace and quiet," Rayla remarked as she tried stroking Callum's face again. While Corvus tried to convince the sun dragon that his flask wasn't poison, the elf stared at the dragon beside her. "Come on Callum, you can do this."

~#~

Callum gasped suddenly as he looked around him, trying to figure out what was going on. He was on some kind of island. It was made from rings of carved rocks, spreading outwards while they floated in the middle of a sky. It was illuminated, but there was no sun in view.

"I don't understand!" he shouted out to the sky, "Why am I here?! What's going on?!"

As he cried out, the island cracked and became smaller as it had been for the last few minutes. When he first arrived, the circle had been almost double the size it was now.

He grasped at his hair, panicking. "I don't understand!"

He turned and looked at the only other thing around him, a collection of twelve gemstones that floated in the centre of the island at eye level. Each was a different colour, and each had a rune of some kind carved into it, but he had no idea what they meant. He'd tried grabbing them, but they never moved. He called upon his magic, but that was gone also. He only knew that when he touched them, each one made a different sound. One of them lit up, but as soon as he touched another, the light vanished.

He felt tears flow down his cheeks as the circle cracked once more. "Please… someone help me."

* * *

**SL: Sorry, I know, Callum is hurt again, but in the show, Callum gets sick by using dark magic. Ray… pretty much ordered me not to make our Callum do dark magic. So I had to think of a way around it. And next week, you will find how we got around that. And in my opinion, it's genius. Have a guess if you want, you have all the clues you need in that last part. If you can work it out 100% correctly… I think we could come up with a prize or something? Maybe a sneak peek?**

**RK: He wouldn't do Dark Magic! I stand by that! After all the pain and trauma it has caused him in this AU, he wouldn't turn to it so easily! At ** _ **most, ** _ **he'd use it to save Rayla or Ez's life, but that's pretty much it. That's one of the things I'm stubborn about with this AU.**


	19. Chapter 17 – To The King

#  **Chapter 17 – To The King**

Looking over Callum, Rayla bit her lip, stroking his hair as he mumbled. “I’m here Cal, I’m here.” At least now, the dark lightning had stopped, but he was still tossing and turning as if he were in pain. “It’s alright. You can do this. You can work it out, I know you can.”

He groaned, flinching and rolling to his other side.

Having rested for a while, and after accepting Corvus’ help, Pyrrah was standing and stretching her wings. “He can’t hear you.”

“You don’t know that,” she muttered, not bothering to look at the sun dragon, “He always hears me. Even in his deepest nightmares, he hears me.” 

She shrugged and walked to the edge of the cave. “We should get moving soon. I don’t know how they haven’t found us yet, but they will soon if we don’t get out of here.”

“Can Callum be moved?”

“Yeah, his problem isn’t physical, so he can be moved easily enough.”

“Wait, we can’t leave!” Corvus snapped at the pair, “The king is missing!”

“He’s not missing,” Rayla reminded him, “He just went for a walk.”

“And he hasn’t returned. We don’t know where he is!”

“Right.”

“That’s the definition of missing!”

Pyrrah nodded. “He has a point.”

After a moment, Rayla sighed, “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right. He’s missing.”

“You shouldn’t have let him go.” The hunter looked out over the forest. “We need to find him.”

“Well, weren’t you telling me what a big, strong tracker you are?” the dragoness teased, “Isn’t this your whole job?”

“Yes,” Corvus replied, smiling at her, “Yes, I shall bring the king back safely. You have my word.”

As he ran off, Pyrrah smirked, rolling her eyes. “Ooh,  _ we have his word. _ ” She sat back down against the wall, “Stupid human.”

Rayla looked over at her, giving a little smile. “That’s a strange coincidence.”

“What is?”

“I call Callum ‘stupid lizard’ when he gets on my nerves.”

The dragon glared at her. “You dare call the future king a ‘lizard’?!”

“Oh relax, he finds it endearing.” She smiled, brushing his hair back again as he tossed.

Pyrrah glared at her for a while longer, then huffed. “You’re wasting your time.”

“What?”

“You. You’re wasting your time if you think he’s ever going to like you.”

She flushed a little, and turned away in an attempt to hide it. “I-I don’t know what you mean.”

“Please, you couldn’t be more obvious if you tried.” Pyrrah ran her hand back over her horns. “You like him, more than a friend, and it’s disgusting.”

“What did you say?”

“An elf and a dragon?” she scoffed, “The mere  _ idea _ is sickening. Your kind are just… not worthy of us.”

Rayla glared at her once more. “Then where do the Variants come from then?”

Pyrrah growled. “Those  _ creatures _ are abominations. Variants are a disgrace to the dragon bloodline. Mongrels. Any dragon that would lower themselves to  _ that _ … and take part in creating one of  _ those, _ should throw themselves into the oceans and drown.” 

“Did you ever consider that the dragon may just be in love?”

“In love with an elf?! Preposterous! Sickening! And you, pining away after the prince… as if there’s  _ any _ chance for the two of you.”

Hand closed into a fist, Rayla stood up and stormed over to her, grabbing her by the neck and pushing her into the wall. “Listen here Pyrrah, whatever feelings I have for Callum, they are none of your business! So, keep your stupid western ideas to yourself!”

“Umm…” They turned to see that Corvus had returned, looking a little tense at the pair. “Are you two… alright?”

“We’re fine,” Pyrrah huffed as she got free from Rayla’s grasp with ease and turned to the hunter. “You were quick.”

“What’s wrong?” Rayla asked, noticing he was alone. “What happened? Did you lose his trail?”

“No,” he confessed, “It’s worse than that.”

“What do you mean?”

He looked to the ground and shook his head. “King Ezran’s trail ends very clearly, very badly. His footprints are replaced by banther tracks.” He paused, then looked at the elf. “The king’s been eaten by a banther!”

Rayla gasped suddenly with a look of shock on her face, but then, she couldn’t hold it in and began to laugh. “Great job. You’ve lost the King of Katolis.”

“I don’t see what’s so funny, elf,” Pyrrah huffed from her side. 

“No, it isn’t funny. So why are you laughing?”

Rayla shook her head as she knelt by the Dragon Prince once more. “Your king happens to be a very special boy,” she explained, “He can talk to animals. So, if there’s banther tracks, it means Ezran caught a ride  _ on _ the banther, not  _ in _ the banther.” 

The sun dragon frowned at her, but then shook her head. “Human, I’ll come with you to look for him.”

“Y-you don’t have to.”

“If I stay here any longer with the elf, we will end up killing each other,” she huffed, already walking down the path. “Besides, dragons heal a lot faster than you pathetic creatures.”

Corvus frowned as he followed her. “You really need to work on your people skills.”

~#~

Callum sat on the floor in the middle of the circle, the gems floating above him. Tears ran down his face as the stones crumbled around him. He covered his head with his hands. “I don’t understand… I don’t know what to do!”

“Cadonumis.”

He looked up at his real name, searching the sky. “Who’s there?” 

“Cadonumis,” the voice repeated, and he realised it was a female voice.

He stood, looking for the source. “C-can you help me?” he begged as the stones crumbled a little more. “Please! I’m trapped, I don’t know what to do.”

There was no reply this time, but as he felt the panic setting in once more, he noticed something by his side and turned. A figure, their form transparent stood beside him. It was female, but he couldn’t tell the species. They had no draconic wings, and if they had horns, they were hidden by a thick, white veil that came over their head and eyes. He examined their clothing: long, thick, and warm looking with delicate embroidery on them, their hands covered with gloves, and with a bracelet around one wrist. 

He stepped back, but the rock collapsed from under him, and he jumped forwards. “Who are you?”

“Someone who loves you very much,” they said, lips curling into a smile, “I’m here to help.”

“How? I don’t even know what’s going on.”

“Your body is out of harmony with the Sky Arcanum. You need to synchronise it.”

He looked around, trying to work out how. “I don’t get it.”

“Listen Cadonumis. Listen.”

“Listen?”

“Yes. Listen.”

He did, calming his breathing, but then he shook his head. “I don’t hear anything.”

“You must  _ really _ listen Cadonumis. Concentrate.”

He stared at this strange figure before swallowing and closing his eyes, trying his very best to listen. For a while, there was nothing, but then, slowly, he heard it. “Music?”

“That is my harmony. You can use it to orient your own.”

He listened intently, eyes screwed shut as he tried to memorize the tune. He opened his eyes and started to press the twelve stones, working out the pattern to copy the sound. It took him a few attempts to learn which stones made which noises. Then, he had to match the note to the sound, closing his eyes to listen to it again and again.

He looked at the floor below him, the circle shrinking to the point the ghost was no longer standing on it. He had time for one, maybe two more attempts.

He knew he had the first eight correct, each gemstone shone once activated and if he got it wrong, they all turned out. The last four were the problem. He listened to the music once more, counting each note. “One… two… three… four… five… six… seven eight… nine.” He opened his eyes and touched one.

It chimed and lit up.

He repeated the technique. “…seven… eight… nine… ten,” he said to himself, concentrating on the last note and matching it to a rune. Another lit up, but another stone vanished below his feet.

Swallowing, he reached for the two remaining gems. He didn’t have time to listen to the whole tune again. He had to take a guess. He looked between the two unlit stones, then reached carefully for one.

“Cadonumis!”

Before he could touch it, he pulled his hand back and looked at the ghost. She looked scared.

As the stone below his feet began to crumble, Callum changed his aim and touched the other stone. It lit up. Without a moment’s hesitation, he touched the only remaining one and it too became lit.

The stone shone brightly, and the music became loud enough to hear without closing his eyes. Suddenly, the stone circle returned, and he was free to move around. Overjoyed, he looked at the ghost. “Thank you. But… who are you? How did you do this?” 

The figure gave a sad smile, their hand moving to their heart, and with the movement, Callum noticed something on the bracelet. A mark he’d drawn once. Something Rayla said only the royal family could wear. His eyes widened. “Mother!”

“I’m glad I could have this dream my dear son. I know… I know you are gone, but to imagine you… to pretend… for a moment, I could help you. It’s a great final wish.”

“Mother! No! I’m alive!”

“In my heart, you are always alive. But I know you are not.”

He moved towards her, reaching for her hand, but she passed right through his grasp. “No, mother! I’m real! I’m coming home!”

She smiled, reaching for his cheek, but her hand went through him too. “I love you, my brave son.”

“Mother!” he shouted as she disappeared. The platform and the gems faded away, and he rushed through the blackness, gasping as he opened his eyes. 

“Callum?” 

He turned to the voice and smiled when he realised it was Rayla. “W-what happened?”

She gave him a hard glare. “You were an idiotic lizard, trying to save that sun dragon.”

He rubbed his head at the memory. “Oh yeah… that witch… she hit me with some… spell.”

“It threw your Arcanum out of harmony with your body,” she scolded him, but sighed, “Did you… get it back?”

He thought about it, then held up his hand, letting magic build until it crackled around his fingertips. “Yeah, I’m in harmony again,” he sighed, then looked around the cave. “Where are Ez and Pyrrah?”

She looked down. “Remember that tracker? Corvus? The one who helped us escape the nexus?”

“Yes?”

“He caught up and… and told Ez… he’s king.”

The dragon’s jaw dropped. “You mean…”

“He knows about his dad.”

Callum took a moment, then sighed. “So… what’s going to happen now?”

“I don’t know. He went off to be on his own but… hasn’t been seen since.” 

“You mean he’s missing?!” Callum panicked as he got up to his feet, “We need to go find him.”

“According to Corvus, he got on a banther’s back. He could be anywhere. Pyrrah agreed to go search for him with Corvus.”

He quirked a brow at her. “That sounds like a bad idea.”

“Better than her staying here with me,” the elf huffed.

“Why? Did she say something to you?”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle.”

His eyes narrowed a little, not believing her, but then he looked outside the cave. “We need to find Ez.” He stepped forward, but then gasped, holding his side and looking to see a bloody wound. “Oww!”

“You need to sit down,” Rayla said, pulling him to sit beside her, “It’s a shallow wound, but it’s going to hurt while you heal.”

He groaned softly as he sat, leaning against her shoulder.

~#~

Back at the settlement, repairs were being made from the dragon attack. Soren sighed as he stroked the black horse before him. “I’m sorry girl. I didn’t want to hurt you. But I needed to stop Claudia from going after the others.” He looked at the creature’s foot which was raised off the ground. “I didn’t want to. I hope you can forgive me.”

The horse snorted and pulled away from him, limping away.

Soren sighed. “Yeah, I wouldn’t forgive me either.” 

“Soren?”

He turned at the call and reached instantly for his sword. He looked at the large, black creature that was poking around the edge of the stable, growling. “Soren, up here.”

His gaze moved to the young boy on the creature’s back. “Ezran? W-what are you doing here? And… what are you doing on a banther?”

“I needed a lift,” he explained, climbing down from its back and turning to the creature. “Thanks for the help. I’ll be fine from here.”

The banther gave him a lick, then ran off into the woods. Soren frowned as it left. “I… I don’t understand. W-what are you doing here?” The guard quickly looked around them. “And… where are the others?”

“I wanted to talk to you alone,” he sighed, walking over to the wounded horse and stroking her side. “Pyrrah told me about you helping her.” 

“How is she?”

“Hurt, but she’ll be fine,” he explained, then looked at the horse’s foot. “Aw, you poor girl… you stepped on something sharp.” The horse snorted and Ezran frowned, looking at Soren. “You… you did this to her?”

“It’s only a small cut,” he explained in his defence. “She’ll be… wait, how did you know  _ I _ did it?”

He looked away with an embarrassed smile. “I have a way with animals.”

“I see,” he said, walking into the stable and sitting on a bale of hay, “So… what did you want to talk about?”

Sitting beside him, Ez stared at his feet. “I found out… about my dad.”

“Oh… so… you know?”

“Yeah. I know the truth,” he sighed softly. “You knew, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. From the day we set off to find you.” He looked at the little boy sitting beside him, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. Callum… he asked me not to.”

“Why?”

“Probably so… it didn’t hurt you.” The blonde gave him a sad smile. “He really cares about you. He told me he calls you his brother.”

“Yeah, it’s nice to have a brother. I always wanted one.”

“Even if he’s a dragon?”

“Hey, having a dragon near you on a cold night? Man, Callum is better than the warmest fire.” 

The pair laughed at that, then fell into silence. Soren tried to think of how he could comfort the boy. “You know… it might not be the same but… I know what you’re going through… sort of.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I was a kid, my mom and dad split up,” he sighed, “I remember hearing them fight a lot at night after we went to bed. And then one day, they told us Mom was moving back to Del Bar, where her family was from. And then, they said we had to choose.” He paused. “It was one of the hardest choices I ever had to make. I could go with my mom… to a peaceful life where… I probably would have become a guard of some small, quiet town… or I could stay… and guard something more important.”

“So you were always going to be a guard?”

“Yeah, pretty much. And I decided I would do more good being a part of the Crownguard so… even if it meant letting my mother go… I chose… I chose to stay with Dad. I never asked Claudia about her choice, but she probably stayed to learn Dark Magic from Dad.” He looked over at the wounded mare as she walked. “And then she left.”

“But how could she do that? Why would she leave you?” Ezran asked, confused. 

“I think she needed to leave for herself. To be happy somehow. You might have noticed my dad is  _ pretty _ intense.”

Ez frowned. “He’s been taking blood from a dragon for ten years. He’s a bit more than intense.”

The guard smirked shallowly at the words. “Yeah… just a little.”

They fell back into silence before Ezran sighed. “Soren… come with us.”

“What?”

“Come with us, to Xadia. Leave Claudia and… come with us.”

He thought honestly about the offer, but then shook his head. “I can’t. As much as I want to… this uniform…” He touched the crest on his breastplate. “It means… I have to protect Katolis.”

“Then… what will you do?”

He shrugged. “I will go back to the capital. Maybe there… I can do something to correct the mistakes of my father. Maybe… I can help change things.”

“You sound like Callum.”

“Do I?”

“Yeah. He wants to change the way things are too.”

Leaning back and looking at the sky, the guard chuckled. “Well, if anyone can, it’s him.”

“Yeah,” Ez mumbled, “And me.”

“What?”

“I’m king now Soren… I… I can make a difference. I can help Callum… create a bridge between dragons and humans. I have to go back home.”

“Are you sure? T-that would mean Callum going on without you.”

“He’ll understand,” the young boy said before looking up and seeing two figures approach. Both had dark hair, but one had a veil wrapped around her head, covering her face. Ez recognised her tattered dress at once. “Pyrrah?” he asked, getting off the bale and walking towards her. “Should you be up and about?”

“I’m fine human,” she huffed, but there was a look in her eyes that showed gratitude for his concern. “You’re a hard one to track.”

“Yeah, gave me a run for my money,” Corvus huffed. “Catching a ride on a banther? That… that was weird.”

“Says the human speaking to a dragon,” she huffed at him. “Ezran, you need to get back. We are ready to leave.”

“Yeah… I need to talk to them about that,” he sighed, looking over at Soren. “Soren, you sure you don’t want to come?”

“I’m… I’m gonna stick with Claudia, she  _ is _ my sister after all.”

Pyrrah growled. “Your sister put a dark magic bolt in my side.”

“Yeah… sorry about that.” He said with a slight shy smile, lowering his eyes from the dragoness.

She grumbled, then looked away. “I’m leaving now. The stink of humans is making me sick. Ezran, let’s go.”

Soren smiled at her, then knelt down, holding Ezran’s shoulder. “Tell Scales I told him to keep up his training,” he said, then the pair spared a moment to hug.

Once done, he stood and glanced over at Corvus. “Look after him.”

“With my life,” he replied. As they left, Pyrrah looked back and stopped for a moment, taking in the sight of burnt buildings, and people working to repair. Inside one of the un-scorched houses, the weeping of a husband and his children could be heard, their mother and wife had been lost to the flames. 

Corvus also stopped, glancing over at the shifted dragoness. “Never seen the damage you do before?”

She glared at him, but walked on without a word.

* * *

**SL: So, in the show, Ezran goes to Claudia for his heart to heart. Since in our AU, Soren doesn’t get paralysed and has seen his errors earlier, we get a heart to heart between our two little baby boys!**

**RK: Ah, I remember the days when Story shipped Corvus and Pyrrah...then I came along and sabotaged it. XD **

**SL: Pyrrah and who? I’m a full Soren and Pyrrah girl now. **


	20. Chapter 18 – Into Xadia

#  **Chapter 18 – Into Xadia**

Callum groaned, looking at his side. “I really need to work on my sword skills.”

“No kidding,” the elf huffed. “Once we get to Xadia, I’ll make sure you get a proper sword and I’ll start teaching you.”

He smiled at her. “And where would I get a ‘proper sword’?”

“My home village,” she said as she continued to pack, “Now sit there and wait for the others to get back.”

“Callum!”

They both turned at the call as Ezran, Pyrrah, and Corvus returned. Ez ran towards his brother and hugged him. “You’re alright!”

“Yeah, that attack really knocked me out for one, but I’m okay now.” He rubbed his cheek against the boy’s. “But what were you thinking? Running off like that?”

“I needed some time to think,” he sighed, “I… I know about my dad.”

The dragon lowered his head a little. “Ez, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I… I feared… I feared losing you.”

“Callum, you’re my brother. You’ll never lose me.”

He smiled, then nuzzled him again. “I know.”

The sun dragon, in her hybrid form once more, huffed in annoyance. “Well, if you still want me to take you to the border… now is the time to go.”

Callum groaned as he stood and held his side. “Yes, we’re ready.”

“Callum… I’m not going with you.”

“What?!” Both Rayla and Callum gasped, while Pyrrah and Corvus moved to the side, talking lowly to each other.

Ezran walked over to his friends and sighed. “When I found out assassins were coming for my dad, I ran away and hid in the walls.”

“With a big stash of jelly tarts,” Rayla chuckled lightly. 

“Yeah…and when I found out Dad was gone forever, I ran away again. I’ve been running away from things my whole life. But I can’t run away from growing up.”

“Ezran, you didn’t run away, you came with us to help save me,” Callum said, kneeling before him and holding his shoulder. “You’re a part of this, changing the world.”

“Callum… my dad once told me something… really important and… I never understood it until now… until I met you.” He held the hand on his shoulder. “When you grow up, you have to face things you’re not ready for.”

The dragon blinked. “Ez…”

“I might not be ready to become king… but I have to face my responsibility. I have to go home just as you have to go home. The two of us, we have a chance to change the world. We can stop the war, together. Once you get home, you can call for peace from Xadia. And I will call for peace from Katolis.”

Callum lowered his head. “But… I need you.”

“You don’t need me Cal,” he laughed dryly, then hugged the dragon. “You’re strong enough to make it on your own. You don’t need me to cuddle anymore. And you have Rayla to keep you safe.”

“Ezran…”

“You and Rayla have to go on without me. We will see each other again, promise.”

The dragon stared at him, tears forming in his eyes, but then his expression hardened, and he stood. “Rayla, lend me your blade.”

The odd request made her back off a little. “Why?”

“Just do it,” he ordered, holding out his hand for it.

She frowned, but did as asked, extending one for him and placing the handle in his palm. 

Holding it, Callum turned to Pyrrah. “Pyrrah, will you?”

She looked a little concerned, clearly knowing what he was up to. “Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked, stepping closer, “It can’t be undone.”

“I’m sure.”

She nodded, then walked over to them, taking the blade and the prince’s hand. Her eyes narrowed as she held the tip to the palm of his hand. 

“Draco sanguinis sub pedibus nostris animus animus est, et frater in corde.” As she finished, the blade glowed a bright, sky blue, and she let the tip cut into his skin, drawing a small rune. As the blood pooled around the cut, the sun dragon quickly turned to Ezran and held out her other hand. “Give me your hand Ezran.”

“Why?”

“I’m marking you as true brothers,” she explained, hand still extended.

Smiling at the idea, the human held out his hand to her and watched as she allowed the blood from the dragon to drip onto his own wrist. As it did, the liquid began to glow blue and move until it created a band on the human’s skin. Callum watched an identical band appear on his own wrist. After a moment, the glow faded to reveal a tattoo-like mark on both of them. 

Ezran turned his hand as he looked it over. “Wow.”

“They are similar to a Moonshadow assassin’s binding,” Callum explained as he looked at the mark. “As long as I’m alive, it will never fade. And yours will never fade on me. And it will change colour depending on our feelings.” He closed his eyes and Ezran’s glowed red. “See, red is for pain… since my hand kinda hurts.”

“W-why do it now?”

Callum smirked. “Because it can only be done by another dragon. And now I can know if you’re safe.”

Smiling at the gift, Ezran stepped forward and hugged him tight. “Thank you Callum,” he mumbled into his shoulder, then turned to Rayla, hugging her as well. “Take care of him.”

“I will,” she promised, hugging him tight before ruffling his hair, “We’ll see each other again, I know it.”

“We better. You  _ do _ know where I live after all,” he laughed before all three of them hugged.

Corvus nodded, watching them fondly. “I’ll travel with the king and keep him safe.”

“If you can wait a while, once I have taken the prince to the border, I will return and fly you as far as I can into the human kingdoms,” Pyrrah offered as she stepped forward. “I can’t go too far, it’s too dangerous, but I can give you a good head start.”

“Thank you Pyrrah.” The Dragon Prince stood. “And once you have, I want you to go to the other western dragons, tell them I am alive, and that I am summoning them to the Storm Spire. They are forbidden from attacking another human settlement. Understood?”

She stared at him, then gave a small smile, bowing her head. “Yes, your highness.”

Rayla sighed as she looked over at the setting sun. “It’s almost night. If we get to the border soon, we can get across via the Moonstone Path.”

“Alright,” Callum said with a deep sigh, “Pyrrah, are you ready?”

“More than,” she replied, walking out of the cave and shifting to her draconic form. She lowered her head and held out her foreleg so the pair could climb onto her back. She looked at Ez, Bait, and Corvus. “Wait here. I will return shortly.”

“Do we have to fly on the dragon?” Corvus gulped.

“Do you want to walk for over a month?” the dragoness reminded him, “Just wait for my return.” 

With that, she spread her wings and pushed off the ground, taking her passengers high above the trees. Callum almost laughed at her speed. Flying with Phoe-Phoe had been slow, calm, and steady, but a dragon was so much faster. She soon got them above the clouds and righted her direction. 

He looked down over her wing and smiled. “Wow. We’re so high up!”

“Best way for cover,” the dragoness told him, scanning below, “Are you sure you want to go via the Moonstone Path, elf?”

“Yes. I know the way best from there.”

“You know you’ll have to go past  _ him _ if you do.”

“And you’ll have to  _ face him _ if you fly over,” Rayla told her, “Which is worse; an elf trying to walk past with the Dragon Prince, or a western dragon trying to fly in?”

“Good point,” she conceded, and went back to flying. Gradually, the landscape below changed from lush mountains and forests, dotted with the occasional village or town, to rocks and barren land. 

Callum frowned as he looked into the distance. “What is that?” he asked as he spotted a glow forming.

“That’s the border of our lands,” Pyrrah explained, “Formed thousands of years ago to separate elves and dragons from the humans.”

“It’s… a river of fire.”

“Lava, yes. Not even sun dragons can touch it unscathed.”

“Look, there!” Rayla shouted, pointing over the edge, “That’s the canyon of the Moonstone Path.”

Banking towards it, the sun dragon made her way down, finding a spot to land, and allowing her passengers to disembark. She remained in her larger, draconic form as she bid them farewell. “Safe travels your highness,” she said with a bow, then looked at the elf, “And to you… Rayla.”

Before either of them could comment on her sudden manners, she took off and began to return to where Ezran was waiting.

The Moonshadow elf huffed lightly. “Well, something changed her tune.”

Callum chuckled, then looked at what was before them, a river of lava with thousands of rocks crossing it. “So… this is the border to Xadia?”

“Yep.”

“I can’t believe we made it. All this way…” His heart sank a little. “And Ez isn’t with us.”

Rayla turned to him. “I know, but we can’t think about that now. He’s doing the right thing, and so are we.” She turned back to the river and looked between the path and the sky.

“So… what do we do? Do we just… walk across?” the prince questioned as he stepped onto one of the rocks. 

“Wait, no!” Quickly, Rayla pulled him back to the bank just before the rocks sank below the lava.

The prince gasped as he realised his stupid mistake. “Oh…”

“Not all the rocks sink that quickly. A few will let us stand on them long enough to walk across. Those special stones are called the Moonstone Path.”

“Right…”

“If it was all of them, any elf or human could cross and it wouldn’t be much of a border.”

“I suppose so,” he sighed, looking at the rocks, “So… which ones are safe?”

Rayla smirked as she looked up to the sky once more. “Patience, your highness.”

He was about to trip her with his tail for the comment, but then noticed a sliver of the moon above, and then a glow on some of the stones. “Oh…” he poked one with his foot and saw that it didn’t sink. “The Moon  _ stone _ Path! I get it.”

Rayla smiled as she took his hand and began to lead him from stone to stone, navigating them across the lava, and helping him make the longer jumps when they came. It was a long way. Several times, they got close to the other side, but then the path turned and led them back into the main river.

As they travelled, Callum paused for a moment and pulled off his cloak. “It’s too hot for this.”

“It is a river of  _ fire _ Cal,” Rayla teased as she went on, but then gasped, looking ahead. “Oh no. The sky’s getting lighter. We need to hurry! If the sun rises, we won’t be able to see the moon runes.”

As they watched, the sun started to shine through a gap in the wall and the runes vanished. The pair looked at each other, horrified, then Callum grabbed Rayla’s hand, dropping his cloak. “Run!” he shouted, pulling her down the path.

But it wasn’t enough, and the path vanished before them. “Do you remember which one it was?” Callum asked before looking behind him. The stone he’d left his cloak on was sinking, the fabric igniting from the heat. More stones began sinking after it. “We don’t have long!”

Rayla looked over them, tentatively putting her foot on one stone, but it instantly sank. “I-I don’t know! I don’t know which one it is!”

Callum gasped as he panicked, looking around for some sort of clue. 

~#~

Miles away, on the back of the sun dragon, Ezran looked at his wrist, the marking turning a pale grey colour. Sat behind the prince, Corvus frowned. “What does that mean?”

“I-I think it means he’s in trouble,” the human said, glancing behind him, but they were miles from the border now, too far to help them. He closed his eyes and thought deeply.  _ ‘Come on Callum, you can do this. Concentrate.’ _

Trapped on the river of fire, Callum blinked. “Ez?”

“What is it Callum?”

“I-I can hear Ez,” he said with a frown. 

_ ‘You can do this. It’s not far. You can make it.’ _

The dragon stared at the distance. “How?! One wrong move…”

_ ‘You have wings silly! You have to fly! You can do it! I know you can.’ _

Looking back at the sinking rocks, the dragon realised he had no other option. 

“Alright… I can do it.” He spread his wings wide and began to flap them against the ground. He took a deep breath and ran forward, his foot touching a stone that sank instantly, but he’d already jumped, his wings beating hard to push him upwards. 

Rayla could only stare, mouth agape as he flew above the lava, his wings straining from the effort. She looked behind her as the sinking got closer. “Come on Callum! You can do it!”

He groaned at the burn, but then looked back to see the rocks right behind Rayla. She had seconds.

With one final push, he landed on the top of a large rock and used his shadow to block the sunlight. Instantly, the path became clear again, and she was able to run over it to the other side. She climbed up the rock to reach the dragon, just as he rolled over to his side. 

“Callum! You did it! You flew! We made it across!”

He groaned and looked up at her. “My wings have never hurt so much.” 

Smiling, she moved so she was sat near his head, and allowed him to use her lap as a pillow until he got his breath back.

“We made it,” he chuckled.

“Yeah.” She smiled down, letting him rest.

He smiled back, glancing at the mark around his wrist. “Thanks for the help Ez.” 

‘ _ You made it?’ _

“Yeah. I’m in Xadia.”

_ ‘Welcome home Callum _ .’

Rayla frowned as she watched him. “So… you can talk to him with that?”

“Yeah, don’t know how to explain it… the spell wasn’t meant to allow thoughts, only feelings.”

“Guess your bond with Ez is stronger than you thought.”

“Perhaps,” Callum sighed, closing his eyes for a bit while Rayla gently stroked his wings to help them relax. After a while, the elf realised he’d fallen asleep on her lap, snoring lightly as the sun rose.

Sighing, she reached over and brushed his hair back, watching the sky for a while, and looking at the Moonstone Path before them. The stones slowly recovered and came back into place.

After a few hours of sleeping, Callum groaned a bit, tossing around on her lap. “N-no… no-no st-stop.”

Rayla looked down at him. “Cal?”

“S-stop…” he moaned, curling in on himself, “N-no, stop it.”

“Callum?” she repeated, touching his cheek gently. “Callum, it’s okay… it’s okay, it’s alright.”

He gasped suddenly, bolting upright, panting for breath, and looking around for a bit. He swallowed and started to calm down, looking away, and pulling his legs up. His wings curled protectively around his body. “S-sorry...”

Rayla watched him for a moment before sighing deeply. “Another nightmare?”

He hesitated, but then nodded, wings relaxing behind him.

“You haven’t had one in a while.”

“Not since our time on the Ruthless,” he sighed, rubbing his head, “I bet it’s because Ezran isn’t here.”

“Callum…” she sighed, moving over and stroking his hair gently. “Callum… I know you didn’t want to talk about it before, but… maybe now? It might help.”

“I don’t want to,” he whimpered a little, “I… I don’t want to.”

“It’s okay if you don’t-”

“Because if I do, I’ll be admitting I’m scared!” he shouted, covering his head with his hands. “It-it scares me. It scares me Rayla.” He took a few deep breaths. “I see him… every time. When I close my eyes… I see him. I see him as clearly as I see you right now.” He turned to her, fear in his eyes. “I see him… with that… that awful staff in hand. I always… hated it. When it struck me… it always hurt… each time… just seeing it would cause me to pull away.” 

Sitting near him, Rayla pulled him towards her. “It’s okay, it’s over now.”

“It’ll never be over Rayla! And… when I’m asleep… I see… I see him… I feel him… beat me, but… worse… I see you… you and Ezran.” He covered his eyes again. “I-I-I see him… he strikes Ezran down… and he-he falls at my feet and… and you try to save me… you try and-and he… he stabs you… and… and you fall… right in front of me… and there is  _ nothing  _ I can do to help you!” he cried, breathing heavily as the panic set in.

“Callum.”

“I was helpless to stop him Rayla. I-I-I couldn’t save you! I couldn’t do anything!”

“Callum, it was only a dream,” she said softly, rubbing his back, “It was a bad dream. Ezran is safe, I’m safe…”

“For how long?!” he snapped at her, “I-if we continue… if we continue on this quest, I know I’ll end up seeing him again. And I… I don’t want to feel as helpless as I did!”

Rayla gave him a moment to panic, but then sighed. “Did…”

He looked up, confused. “D-did?”

“You said, I don’t want to feel as helpless as I  _ did, _ ” she repeated, “Not  _ am _ .”

“Am?”

“You didn’t say ‘I don’t want to feel as helpless as I am’.” 

He frowned at her, looking away. “Well… I… I’m not… helpless now.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah I… I have my powers now and… I know a bit about fighting and… I have you.”

“Yeah.” She smiled at him, reaching up and brushing his hair back. “See, you’re not helpless anymore.”

Thinking about it, he sighed, then nodded. “Yeah… m-maybe.”

Looking at him for a moment, Rayla finally nodded and stood up. “Well, there’s only one thing to do.”

“What? What one thing?”

“Come on, let’s see what the dumb lump taught you,” she chuckled, climbing off the rock and down to ground level. “Come on! Let’s see if he’s as good as you say.”

Blinking, Callum wiped away his tears and stood up, climbing down to join her. “Really?”

“Yeah, let’s go for it.” She held her hands up in fists. “Try and land a punch.”

With a small smirk, Callum nodded and held up his own hands, doing as Soren told him. After a moment, he began to lash out. Naturally, Rayla was faster and blocked him. “Not bad. Go on, again!”

Again and again he attacked her, and Rayla blocked, countering. As the pair sparred, Callum felt something change and his eyes narrowed a little. The next time Rayla threw a punch, he grabbed her arm, twisted it around, and tossed her to the ground, kneeling over her chest.

The elf blinked up at him. “How…did you do that?”

“I dunno… beginner’s luck?” He smirked down at her, then stood up, holding out a hand to help her. “Again?”

“Yeah.” She eyed him suspiciously as they stood and prepared for another fight. Going after him again, she watched as Callum smirked, grabbed her arm, and twisted it behind her back once more, this time, keeping her in an arm lock. She groaned at the slight pain. “You’ve got a strong grip!”

“And I think you just unlocked another memory of mine.”

“What?”

He let her go and smiled, tapping his head. “My memories. I… I remember learning how to fight.”

“You were five when you were taken.”

“Yeah… that’s the thing… it’s not  _ me _ that learned how.” He turned away from her, looking towards the sky. “I don’t know how to explain it… I just… remember.”

She stared at him, then smirked. “I heard of something like this once.”

“You did?”

“Dragons…They can pass on memories to their children. Particularly, the royal families. Like, how to do magic, and how to shift and… apparently how to fight.”

Thinking about it, Callum nodded. “It would make sense… I had never heard ‘fulminis’ before and yet… I knew how to use it.” He frowned a little, “But I wonder why Soren didn’t unlock my memory?”

“Perhaps… because he’s human?”

He thought about it then shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s you, Rayla.” He gave her a smile. “Everything’s thanks to you.”

She blushed, then looked away before moving to the side. “Well… is it just fists you remember, or do you think you can handle a blade too?”

“Only one way to find out.”

~#~

After they continued to fight for a while, they decided to stop for something to eat before returning to another sparring match. They laughed and enjoyed the competition before noticing it was getting dark again. 

“We spent a whole day here,” Rayla sighed. “That wasn’t the plan.”

“No… but I feel better for it. And… knowing I can protect myself now, I feel ready for whatever comes.”

She smiled, then walked over to his sketchbook. She picked it up and opened it, searching for the page at the back. “I saw this… back at the lodge…” she said, showing him the sketch of his nightmare. She noticed it had more details than before.

“Yeah… I… I drew it to help me… so I wouldn’t forget it.” He frowned at the image, then reached out for the paper and quickly pulled it out of the book. 

Without hesitating, he crumpled it up into a small ball and threw it at the lava, the heat soon burning it up into ashes and smoke. Smiling, he turned to Rayla. “Enough of the nightmares. I’ll probably still have them… but now, I’ll fight them.”

Proud of his actions, Rayla nodded, then turned to look at the sky. “We should rest up for the night and move on in the morning.”

“Agreed.”

As the sun began to set, they settled down and rested by the Moonstone Path. They curled up beside each other with the lava to warm them. When morning came once more, Callum stretched his back and shoulders, looking at Rayla as she slept on his arm. Smiling, he reached over and softly caressed the markings on her cheeks. “Hey, Rayla? Time to wake up.”

She gave a small groan, but then opened her eyes and looked at where she was. Blushing, she suddenly backed off. “Ah! I’m so sorry Callum! I didn’t mean to sleep on you!”

“It’s fine. I used to let Ez sleep on me all the time.”

Nodding, she quickly stood up and looked around. “Well… onwards to Xadia.”

Looking down the path they would need to take, Callum frowned as he thought about something. “Rayla… when we were on Pyrrah’s back… she said we’d have to get past  _ him _ if we took this path. Who’s him?”

Rayla sighed and shook her head. “Sol Regem.”

“Who’s that?”

“The dragon king before your father, a sun dragon. I guess… to you… he’s sort of a distant uncle? I think your father’s, father’s, brother’s twin? Or something like that.”

“But I’m a sky dragon. How can I be related to a sun dragon?”

She chuckled. “That’s a question I don’t have the answer to.”

“So… why was Pyrrah so worried about us meeting him?”

The elf took a moment, then walked over to their supply bag, checking it over. “He’s no ordinary dragon. Any dragon king is… well… very, very powerful.”

“I like the sound of that. Ow!” He winced when she punched him in the leg.

“Anyway…” she told him with a smirk, “Sol Regem was a very powerful dragon, and he was the one to banish humans to the west of Xadia when they refused to give up Dark Magic. But he was blinded at the very start. He was forced to step down as king and has since become a symbol of rage and bitterness. He guards the border now, stopping anyone who wants to get into or out of Xadia.”

“So… we have to get past my blind, distant uncle to get into Xadia?”

“Yeah,” she sighed, remembering the last time she had to face the former king. “It won’t be easy. Runaan practically had to  _ beg  _ to convince him to let us pass.”

Callum took the bag from her with a nod. “Well… if he’s my distant uncle… surely I can just… talk to him?”

“You say that now, but you haven’t met him yet.”

“I’m sure he will see reason.” He smiled, holding a hand down for her. “Come on, time to meet my family.”

Rayla took his hand and held it loosely, but didn’t look convinced. “I have a feeling this is going to end badly.”

The prince laughed as he walked down the path into a large, dusty, sandstone canyon. They trekked for a while, but then Callum felt something, wincing at the sensation. “Whoa…”

“What is it?”

“Power,” he said cryptically, “It's… it’s like a wave of… power is just pushing against me.”

“He must be close then.” 

They continued on a little further before spotting an odd shape on the side of the canyon. Six large, round protrusions came out from the rock. As they moved a little closer, Callum saw the outline of a resting dragon. “Is that him?”

“Yep, Sol Regem,” Rayla whispered, taking cover behind a rock.

“He’s enormous.”

“About average for an archdragon.”

“What?”

“Pyrrah is a common, smaller type of sun dragon,” she told him with smirk, “You’ll be that big too, one day.”

“Better be careful where I sit,” he teased, then looked back over the canyon. “So… do you think we should just… walk up to him?”

“It’s your plan. I say we try and sneak past him.”

“No… let me try talking to him.” He straightened his back and took a deep breath. “You stay here, just to be safe.”

“No, Callum…” she protested, but he was already walking out into the open.

Sol Regem sniffed the air and turned instantly to face him. “Who dares approach me?!”

“Cadonumis, the Dragon Prince.”

“You are unwise to think I would fall for such a foolish trick. Cadonumis is dead!” 

“No, I’m not!” he shouted at the dragon, “I am Cadonumis, son of King Avizandum and Queen Zubeia.”

The great head came towards him, and sniffed before suddenly pulling back. “How can this be?! You were killed… years ago.”

“No, I was taken into the human lands and kept prisoner for these last few years,” he explained. “Sol Regem, I am going home to my mother and to claim my rightful place at the Storm Spire.”

The dragon paused for a moment, but then lowered his head, and gradually began to shift until he was in a hybrid form. His head lost a pair of horns from his dragon form, but the others remained like a crown above his head. His hair was pure white, but nothing about him was elderly. A long, wispy beard came from his chin while his eyes were still scarred and burnt away. “You wish to claim your rightful place?” he asked, a staff in his hand. “You? A mere boy?”

“I wish to see my mother and help restore peace between Xadia and the human lands.”

Behind him, Rayla face-palmed at his choice of words. Callum soon realised his mistake when Sol Regem growled, and quickly lifted the staff to unleash a blast of fire. The fireball collided with the other dragon, toppling him backwards. Once down, the older dragon pinned the staff to his chest, pressing down on it. “You  _ dare _ consider peace with those treacherous, wretched creatures?! You think they can be forgiven for their crimes?! Against us! Against the Primal Sources!” 

Callum paused for a moment, but then grabbed the staff on his chest and pushed it to the side. This knocked the blind dragon down, and Callum pulled it from his grasp. As he stumbled, the sky dragon stood back up, turning the staff around in his hand, and holding it under the elder’s chin. “I was warned you were bitter and angry,” he managed as he held the tip to the dragon’s throat, “Years here have made you blind in more ways than one, Sol Regem, but I am not. I have been to the human lands. I have travelled across them. I have seen their capacity for good, and for evil. I have seen the harm done, and I will not allow it anymore.”

Sol Regem growled. “They will betray you.” 

“Maybe, someday. But right now, I know there is good in them. So, you will allow us to pass, and you will stay here, wallowing in your own self-pity and hate.”

The sun dragon continued to growl, but slowly nodded. “Very well. Return home,  _ prince, _ and wait for them to stab you in the back just as they did your father.”

Standing down, Callum turned to the rock. “Rayla, come on.”

She sighed as she walked over to him, but then Sol Regem sniffed and turned to her. “You!” he snarled, charging at the elf, grabbing her by the neck, and throwing her across the canyon to a wall. “I remember your scent! You were one of the elves who came here before, begging my permission to go and slay the pathetic human leader! And you dare return alone?!”

Running to stand between them, Callum turned the staff once more to the dragon. “Sol Regem, stand down!”

“You can leave, prince, but that elf is a traitor to Xadia! She returns when her kin do not! She failed her mission! She ran away! The king lives!” The blind dragon charged at the elf again, but Callum blocked him, pushing him back.

“The king died!” the sky dragon shouted at him, “King Harrow of Katolis, the man who killed my father, is dead! Rayla did not fail that mission!”

“Then why does she return and the others do not?”

“Because she was saving me!”

“And what of her bloodline?” he huffed, taking a deep breath. “Betrayal and lies run in her veins! She must die!” he shouted, charging again, but this time, he managed to avoid Callum’s block and get past him. Rayla yelped as she drew her blades, and quickly blocked the claws that tried to slash at her, knowing one strike would be all it took.

Quickly, Callum ran over and got between them once more, blocking a blow with the staff. “She is the reason I’m still alive! She has protected me from the moment we met!”

“She is a traitor!” 

“She is my friend, and I will  _ not _ allow you to harm her!” Callum growled back as he pushed the sun dragon away. He stared at him, then held out his hand, lightning running quickly down his arm and colliding with the other dragon.

Sol Regem gave a gargled scream and fell to one knee, his clothing sizzling from the electricity. 

Before he could recover, Callum walked over and held the staff to the back of his head. “I do not wish to kill you, Sol Regem, but I will if you leave me no choice.”

“Mercy?” he huffed between pants for breath, “Dragons do not show mercy to their enemies. I would show you no mercy. Your father never would have shown mercy.”

“Then I’m a different dragon from you and my father. Now, if you wish, we can continue this fight,  _ or _ you can admit defeat, and let us pass.”

Sol Regem took a few more breaths, thinking about it, then sighed deeply. “You may pass.”

“Both of us?”

Again, he paused. “Both of you…”

Backing away, Callum threw the staff down, and turned to Rayla. “Let’s go.”

As they walked away from the dragon, who soon shifted back to his massive, draconic form to watch them leave, Rayla smiled as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

He smiled back, nuzzling her cheek in return. “Any time.”

* * *

**SL: Okay, I need to quickly just point something out. I am about to start writing Chapter 19… okay? The date, as of writing this note, is January 2** **nd** ** 2020\. You know when I started working on this story? December 16** **th** ** 2019! In less than 17 days, I have written over seventy thousand words. I don’t know if I should be impressed… or worried about my lack of a social life.**

**RK: We both lack a social life. It’s okay Story. XD**

**SL: Also, if anyone is interested; the spell Pyrrah cast, ** _ Draco sanguinis sub pedibus nostris animus animus est, et frater in corde, _ ** translates to ** _ Dragon of blood, bind mind and soul to brother of heart.  _ **Since most of the spells known in the show are based on Latin, we used a Latin base for any spells created.**

* * *

**SL: Well, I know it was a short season, only eight chapters, but that’s the end of Season 2 of Breath of Hope! And just like the end of Season 1, Ray and I need a little bit of time off. But just like last time, we are doing another Q&A! So, if you have any questions for any of us, characters, or writers, ask away and we will answer them next week! **


	21. Season 2 Break - Questions and Answers

#  **Season 2 Break - Questions and Answers**

Well, yet again we have been amazed with the number of questions presented to us! 23 in total! Even more than last time! And here are the answers

**1\. From HyzeClawser- To Ray and Story**

Do you plan on writing any more chapters after you finish season 3?

**From Ray**

After Season 3, we will not be writing more chapters following the main plot. We  _ will, _ however, write a bunch of fun pre and post story stuff to publish separately. :)

**From Story**

Well, that’s not 100% true; we don’t know yet. We kinda need to see season 4 to know if we  _ can _ continue. If we can, I’m sure we will. If we can’t… then as Ray said, we have  _ plenty  _ to keep the fun going.

**2\. From HyzeClawser- To Rayla**

What do you think of Pyrrah?

**From Rayla**

“She's a salty, irritating, annoying, scaly devil with a stick up her ass bigger than a tree.”

**3\. From HyzeClawser- To Ez**

Should the baker be scared now that you are back in Katolis?

**From Ez**

“Well, my duty as king will have to come first. I don’t know if I’ll have time to sneak in and grab jelly tarts like I used to. But if I can.. I’m sure I could find… some time to sneak one or two.”

**4\. From TheGoldenAtlas- To Callum**

Will you tell Rayla that you saw your mother during the weird dream sequence, and that she helped you but still thought you dead?

**From Callum**

“Rayla did ask about how I got my Arcanum back in harmony… and I told her, not long after we arrived in Xadia. She was quite amazed by it all, apparently elves can't lose their Arcanum harmony, only dragons. Price you pay for stronger magic… the risk of falling out of sync. And when I mentioned my mother... it... it was hard to say that... my mother was there with me... and... I spoke with her...but I couldn't make her understand I was alive… it was hard. Really hard. But that’s why I have to get back to her, fast.”

**5\. From DragonWolf656- To Soren**

What do you think your father would say when he finds out you didn't kill Callum or Ezran?

Oh and what do you think about Pyrrah?

**From Soren**

“Honestly...he'll probably be furious, but at this point, I don't care… Ezran is a good kid, and I already let down his father. I can't let him down too. And what my dad did to Callum, it's disgusting. I don't care what he says. What he did was wrong.

A-And Pyrrah? I mean, we're not on good grounds right now, considering the... ballista thing. But...if we meet again, I hope we can be friends. She seems like a really good fighter… even if a little… salty.”

**6\. From ItzWolfiKun - To Ray**

How excited are you for the ships to become true in your story?

**From Ray**

Rayllum, my main ship, is one of the underlying parts of this story, and you bet I'm excited to see how people react to the upcoming shipper's content. XD As for, ehem, my second ship, Pyrren, it'll definitely play its part...at some point.

**7\. From ItzWolfiKun - To Story**

How difficult is it to write these new spells?

**From Story**

The spells are quite easy really, I just think what I want the spell to do, and if I want it simple, I use a one or two word spell, and more complicated ones are… longer. And once I have made up what I want to say, I just use Google Tanslate to change it to Latin, since most of the ancient dragon spells in the show are Latin-based. 

**8\. From ItzWolfiKun - To Callum**

Are you excited to see Xadia?

**From Callum**

“You bet I'm excited! I mean, Rayla's told me so much about it! I remember bits of it...but to finally see it? I can't wait!”

**9\. From ItzWolfiKun - To Rayla**

When are you FINALLY going to admit your feelings? (You know what i mean >:3)

**From Rayla**

“The only thing that matters right now is getting Callum home to the Spire.”

**10\. From ItzWolfiKun - To Ezran**

How do you feel about being king, and what are you going to do about Viren and Claudia?

**From Ezran**

“Being king is... kinda scary to be honest. I mean... I'm just a kid! I'm not ready for this level of responsibility! But... I'll do my best. 

As for Viren and Claudia... umm... sorry but this odd dragon is glaring at me with a sign reading 'no spoilers' around its neck? I'm guessing I can't say.”

**11\. From HiddenWorldQueen - To Ray and Story**

Basically at the end of this chapter, Amaya was captured by Sunfire Elves like in episode 1 of Season 3, right?

**From Story**

It's confirmed in the next chapter, but yes, everything that happened to Amaya in the show happened in the story too.

**From Ray**

What Story said. ^-^

**12\. From ChrystalAmy- To Callum**

Callum, I’m so happy for you! You’re on your way home. But because I’m a terrible person, you do realize that once you’re done, Rayla will have to go home and you will have to return to princely duties with your mom, and there is a chance that you’ll never see her or Ezran again, right?

**From Callum**

“Rayla is my Dragon Guard now...it's her duty to protect me so...she has to stay with me. And... as for Ezran... he and I are going to be working towards peace and maintaining it, so we will still see each other. They will always be with me in my heart and... we can see each other whenever we please.”

**13\. From PatriciaLouisePea- To Authors**

Will there be original chapters that will be added in season 3 in this AU story?

**From Story**

Yep. Chapter 22 but nothing more from me.

**From Ray**

The overall story follows the beats of the original, canon plot, but we do have a bunch of original content in upcoming chapters. :)

**14\. From PatriciaLouisePea- To Authors**

Besides elves, will there be other magical creatures living among dragons and elves?

**From Story**

Nope. Dragons, elves, humans. Sorry.

**15\. From PatriciaLouisePea- To Authors**

Will there be certain crossovers in this story?

**From Ray**

Nope. No crossovers.

**16\. From LegoFIend12- To Callum**

How does it feel to be in Xadia and what will you tell your mom?

**From Callum**

“Well... as I said, I'm really excited to be in Xadia and... it's overwhelmingly beautiful. And, about my mother...I need to get to her...so I can tell her I’m okay.”

**17\. From LegoFIend12- To Soren**

Will you help Ez fix this war mess?

**From Soren**

"I will try to help, but...I...I don't know what I can do. I'm a Crown Guard, not a diplomat..."

**18\. From LegoFIend12- To Ray and Story**

Where’s Claudia and what will Viren think of Ez being, one of his kids failing, and the other turning good?

**From Story:**

I hate to say this but… spoiler.

**From Ray:**

You shall find out soon enough.

**19\. From Leafeon12 - To Ray and Story**

When Callum returns home to Xadia will he become the Dragon King or will he still be a prince since his mother is still alive?

**From Story:**

Spoilers

**From Ray:**

Pretty much. Spoilers. You'll find out. ^-^

**20\. From TheGreenPhantom - To Ray and Story**

What Primal Source suits you the most whether it be how you personally can relate to that specific primal source or just because you think it’s the coolest one to be connected to?

**From Story **

Well, Ray asked me to complete this Quiz on the Dragon Prince website. It said I’m of the ocean. And I have to agree. “ _ A peaceful soul, you value friendship. Empathetic and outgoing, you make friends easily, and people are drawn to your personality. You wear your heart on your sleeve, and with love so easily given, betrayal and lies strike you deeply - you are icy and unforgiving only to those who dare strike at your big heart.”  _ That’s me.

**From Ray**

I did the quiz on the Dragon Prince website both a while ago and recently. Both results gave me the Sky Primal. It sounds about right for me. I value freedom, I’m independent, and a free spirit. :)

**21\. From Sage_Sun - To Callum**

Do you see Rayla as more than a friend and more than a protector?

**From Callum**

“What…what do you mean? She’s my friend, my Dragon Guard, and my protector. She…she can’t be much more.”

**22\. From Rose - To Callum**

Callum are you gonna make a move or is Rayla gonna have to?

**From Callum**

“M-make a move?! What do you mean?... I tried dancing with her? Is that ‘a move’?” 

**23\. From Storylady35 - To Ray**

If you could rewrite any chapter, which would it be?

**From Ray**

Personally, I love the chapters we wrote! I would change very little about any of em. Believe it or not, I would probably rewrite chapter one, because I noticed so many editing/revising mistakes on my behalf. XD I’ve learned a lot about grammar and flow through the course of this fanfic and I think that I could have made it better if I changed some stuff. :)

**From Story**

Commas

* * *

**SL: ** So, a few things

**First: ** Did you know [Ray has a Patreon](http://www.patreon.com/ray_ken)? And if you sign up for it, it’s only $1 a month and you get to see some amazing bonus work you won’t see otherwise! Including stuff that may be considered spoilers! Like, for example, our AU version of Zym! 

**Second** : I would like to give MaggiesHeartLove a great big  ** _thank you _ ** for doing this amazing commission from Chapter 11, Rayla’s Knighting.

And the extra ‘secret’ Pyrren one that I surprised Ray with XD (I think if there wasn’t an ocean of water between us… she would have strangled me for that one) 

**Second Part 2: ** Did you know Maggie has her own Human dragon AU? Called  [ ** _DragonHeart_ ** ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22757848/chapters/54378724) on Archive of Our Own! Ray and I would TOTALLY recommend it!

**Third** : Shout out to HyzeClawser for this amazing fan art! 

And that’s all I have to say. Ray, want to add anything?

**RK:** Nyello! It me! Yes, I do! I just wanna say thank ya to all the readers we’ve accumulated thus far! The amount of questions we received this time around proves that there’s  _ even more  _ interest since the last Q&A! And I’m so happy our hard work is being enjoyed by other people too!

Also, HyzeClawser, your fanarts are absolutely adorable! And MaggiesHeartLove, thank you for taking the time to do the comms. Truly brought a big, dopey smile to my face. ^-^

** See you all next week for Season 3! **


	22. Chapter 19 – King Ezran of Katolis

#  **Chapter 19 – King Ezran of Katolis**

**SL: Okay, so, I’m going to write a note at the beginning here because it’s important.**

**I know this is an AU story, but it’s only really around Callum and ** ** _his_ ** ** adventures. Unless explicitly mentioned, everything that happened in Katolis in the show still happened in this story. **

**So, Viren still tried to become king, he still sent the messages to the other kingdoms, they still turned him down, he’s pretended to be regent, he was arrested for treason, he still went nuts and tried to kill everyone, he still has his ‘little bug pal’ in his ear, and he’s still a son of a b. But yes, everything that happened in the show happened here too. That also includes the Breach, the Sunfire Elves, and everything with Amaya. **

**Okay, back to the story.**

**~#~**

With Pyrrah giving them a ride over the great water, Ezran, Bait, and Corvus made it back to Katolis in a few short days. They were able to take the direct routes instead of the twisted, undercover ones they had previously taken when leaving.

Two days, and Ezran was back home, lying in his father’s bed as king. Bait nuzzled him awake before leading him to the golden crown on the chair. Ezran sighed as he glanced at it, then at the light band on his wrist. “Callum? Can you hear me?” he asked, but it just glowed a faint green. He turned to Bait. “I guess they’re too far away now. I wonder what green means?” Bait himself glowed green before walking over to the balcony, looking eastward. “We’ll get to Xadia one day,” he promised the toad. 

Holding the crown in his hands, he walked out of the room, and a pair of guards standing outside retracted their crossed spears. Ezran smiled and stepped back, watching the spears cross once more. Smirking, he stepped back and forth, watching them repeat the action until he got bored and headed on his way. The guards joined him, following behind.

As he walked through the halls, the baker approached, a tray of triangular treats in his hands. “May I offer his majesty a freshly baked jelly tart?” he asked, presenting a view of the pastries.

Crown still in hand, the boy frowned, confused. “Uh, really? It’s okay? Um, sure!”

“The king requests a tart of jelly!” the guard behind him shouted, making both Ez and Bait jump.

“Of course.” The baker smiled, and allowed him to take one of the tarts.

Ezran looked down at the treats and bit his lip. “May I have another?” 

“The king requests another tart of jelly!”

“You don’t have to repeat everything I say,” Ez informed the guard with a smile. 

“The king requests that you stop repeating!” the other guard told the first. Everyone turned to him, and he soon hung his head. “Uh, I realized as soon as I said it.”

The baker nodded and held the tray out. “You may have as many tarts as you care for.”

Ezran decided to take advantage of the offer and snatched up as many as his arms could hold while a familiar face approached them. “Corvus!” He smiled up at him, glad to have the hunter’s company. They had gotten quite close over their trip.

The man smiled fondly. “All packed for your journey to the throne?”

“Would you like a tart of jelly?” Ezran chuckled, glancing at the guard who looked away in discomfort. 

The hunter tried to hold back a smirk. “No thanks.”

“Don’t worry, we can have as many as we want!”

“I wasn’t worried.”

He shrugged, then turned to his escorting guards. “How about you guys?”

The two looked at each other, then simultaneously shrugged, taking a tart each from the tray before continuing on. Corvus walked behind the king as he scoffed down tart after tart.

As they carried on down the hallways, they were eventually met by a woman in a white and gold robe. Her hair was long, and a silver cornet came to rest on her brow, marking her as a cleric of the High Council. Opeli bowed slightly with a hand to her heart once she saw the young king. “Good morning, King Ezran,” she greeted. After snapping her fingers, the two guards behind her uncrossed their own spears.

Guessing he should follow her, the boy walked past them, but once he did, they crossed again and blocked Corvus’ path. Opeli held her head high as she looked at the hunter. “High Council meetings are attended by the council itself and necessary security, no others, unless specifically requested by the king.”

Behind the spears, Ezran swallowed and looked at his friend. “Oh, well…” He nodded at the others. “I’d... uh, I’d like to request Corvus to come...specifically.”

The guards retracted their blades, and the two from his quarters nodded affirmatively. “That checks out.” 

Opeli allowed Corvus to enter the throne room, and Ezran walked slowly down the long, red carpet to the wooden throne. Advisors like Opeli stood near it, waiting for him.

Ez placed the crown on the throne’s side table and sat down in his father’s seat, Corvus standing politely to one side. He still felt uncomfortable with the situation. “Well, what do we do now?”

“The first order of business is to review messages received by the kingdom,” Opeli explained before turning to the entry door. “Crow Lord?” There was no response and the woman frowned. “Crow Lord!” 

A boy with dark hair and dark clothing stepped out from behind a pillar. “Oh! Sorry, the Crow Lord isn’t here,” he explained sheepishly. “He’s taking a personal day.”

Not looking amused, the woman frowned. “And you are?” 

“The Crow Master. It’s similar, kind of like his number two. If the Crow Lord were to die, or to be otherwise incapacitated…”

“Okay, yes, I think we understand.” She sighed and held up a hand, “Can you please read the king his messages?”

He nodded, then reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a small scroll no bigger than his finger. 

“It’s so small,” Ezran said with a smile, “There can’t be too much stuff, right?”

The Crow Master leaned forward to read the tiny paper. “You have 417 unread messages.” At which, the doors at the back opened, and a guard came in pushing a wheeled cart full of scrolls.

Ezran looked terrified at the sight, but Opeli just smiled as she offered a solution. “Your Majesty, if the king so desires, we could begin with the messages marked  _ urgent _ .”

Looking between the papers and the advisor, Ezran nodded. “Uh… I do so desire.” Bait croaked in agreement.

The guards from before nodded at the side of the room. “That checks out.”

With the decision made, the Crow Master began to search the scrolls for any urgent ones, dropping them to the floor after reading them. With each meaningless letter that was read out loud, Ezran lost a little more of his will to live. He looked down at his wrist, and smiled softly when he saw it was yellow. “Hope that means happy, Cal,” he whispered to it, getting an odd look from Opeli, but Corvus just smiled with understanding.

The Crow Master searched through the letters before finding one with an urgent mark. He opened it, skimming quickly before looking up nervously. “Oh, dear. Um…”

“What’s wrong?” Ez asked, disinterested.

“I’m not really comfortable reading some of these things out loud.”

Also tired of the young man’s hesitance, the High Advisor sighed deeply. “Well, can you summarize?”

Reading the letter completely, his face got more and more concerned as he read. “There have been some...bad events,” he said, trying to summarize the letter. “Maybe we should just wait for the Crow Lord to return, so he can, uh…” 

Opeli walked quickly towards him and snatched the letter away. “Ugh, give me that.” She read the letter, and the Crow Master picked up another, reading it before holding it out to her. “This one also has similar…” He drew a finger across his neck. “Bad events.”

Now Ez was getting worried as Opeli looked up with concern. “Assassins.”

“What?” the king gasped, leaning forward.. 

“There have been attacks in other kingdoms, successful attacks. King Florian and Queen Fareeda are dead.” Gasping, Ezran covered his mouth, but she continued. “King Ahling is gravely injured. It appears that Xadia is finally waging war on all of humanity.”

As Ezran glanced at his wrist, there was a knock at the back of the room, and the guards opened the doors. The High Advisor frowned as she turned to face the entrance. “We are in the middle of an important discussion!”

“We’ve arrested two traitors,” the guard explained, “We need the king’s judgement immediately.”

He stepped to the side, and another guard led two people into the hall: Soren and Claudia. 

The sight of them in chains caused a conflict in the young king as they were pushed forward. Claudia stood tall in defiance while the Crown Guard knelt on the floor. Ezran frowned at them. “Uh, what’s going on?” he asked, stepping towards them. “Why are they chained up?”

“Your Majesty, they’re Lord Viren’s children,” the guard said with a frown. 

“So what?” 

“The High Mage is in prison for  _ treason _ ,” Opeli explained calmly. “We suspect they were involved in his conspiracy.”

Ezran frowned, glancing at the Crown Guard. “No, you will release Soren at once!” 

“Your highness?”

“Soren has done nothing wrong! He’s a good man, and has been a good friend to me and my…” He paused, realising only Corvus knew who the ‘other person’ was. “Umm… someone I know. He’s not dangerous! I want you to let him go right now.”

“No, you’ve got it all wrong,” Claudia said, trying to explain herself. “When Dad sent us after the prince…”

“Viren sent you after the prince?!” Opeli snapped.

“Uh ‘sent’ is a strong word.” The mage winced. “My point is, he wanted us to rescue the prince, not kill him!”

“‘Kill him?!” the advisor snapped again, “Who said anything about killing the prince?!”

Holding up her hand, Claudia tried to relax. “No one. That’s what I’m saying, or not saying. Ugh, Soren, help! Tell them we didn’t do anything wrong!”

Soren glanced at her, then stood up. “We did,” he confessed. “We  _ did _ do things wrong Claudia!” he snapped in her face, “We attacked a dragon, causing it to burn a whole town! If we had let it go, no one would have been hurt… we… we did bad things Claudia.”

“But we aren’t traitors!” his sister snapped back.

Soren looked away. “Perhaps we are.” 

“I’ve heard enough!” Opeli glared at the two, silencing them. “King Ezran, they need to be locked away. Give the order.”

Ezran stared at them both again. “I know Soren is a good man. My… friend believed in him, and so do I.” He turned to Opeli. “This isn’t fair on him. He may have done bad things, but… his intentions were good.”

“That does not excuse him of treason. My king, you need to make a decision.”

Ez looked down at the floor, then to the crown he had yet to put on. “I need time to think.”

“Very well,” the advisor said firmly. “Take them away, and lock them up.”

The king turned. “But let Soren out of his chains.”

“My king?”

“He… he can’t do magic… he doesn’t need to be chained up.”

“And… the other?”

“Keep them on her. Chain her to the wall as well,” he snapped, glaring across the room at the mage. “See how she likes it.”

Claudia swallowed, but said nothing as the guards took them both away to complete their assigned task. As the pair were taken out of the room, Soren glanced back, and Ezran mouthed ‘I’m sorry’ to him just as the doors closed.

Opeli turned to the king with a confused frown. “Your highness, you mentioned… a friend who believed in Soren. Who is this friend?”

With a slight smile, the king rubbed his wrist. “Someone important to me,” he said cryptically. “Sh-shall we get back to the letters?”

Guessing the subject was to be changed, the advisor turned back to the letters and continued.

~#~

Claudia groaned, pulling on the chains at her wrists. “This is ridiculous. How long are they going to keep us like this?”

“It’s no more than we deserve,” her brother sighed, “I knew there would be consequences for coming back. I don’t blame Ez for locking us up.”

“Soren, we didn’t do anything wrong! We were sent to get the prince back.”

“ _ Princes _ , Claudia,” he reminded her, sending a cold glare in her direction. “You were sent to get  _ both _ princes back!”

“Oh come on, the dragon…”

“His name is Callum! He’s the Dragon Prince of Xadia, and you wanted to lock him back up…or you wanted to kill him!” He backed away slightly. “And… and Dad… he… he told me… he wanted me to kill Ezran…if I got the chance. So…we’re guilty.”

“No, Soren… that’s wrong! I don’t know if you misunderstood, or mis-remembered, or mis-listened, but there’s no way Dad would tell you to do that.”

He huffed and shook his head. “I thought I knew what kind of man Dad was… but after meeting Callum...after seeing what he did to him… I realise… I hardly know him.” He sighed, walking over to the bed against the wall and sitting himself down.

~#~ 

Back in the throne room, Ezran had finally made his way through the backlog of letters and was ready to do something else. Before he could stand, a guard hurried in and bowed to him. “King Ezran, a visitor has arrived,” he explained, “Prince Kasef of Neolandia, eldest son of King Ahling.”

The entrance doors were opened, and a collection of men with spears and flags dramatically parted to reveal an older, muscular man with dark hair and a dark complexion. His garb was black and gold, and he wore an elegant crown which rested above his brow.

He walked across the carpet and bowed respectfully to Ezran who stood from the throne. 

“Prince Kasef, I heard about what happened to your father. I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you for your condolences,” the prince spoke firmly, “And the tragedy of your father’s loss breaks my heart. But the important thing is that we’re here now.”

“Yes, I’m happy to meet you,” the king said, holding out a hand, but Kasef didn’t take it. He kept his head high and hands behind his back before realising the boy was waiting. So, he tentatively shook it.

Hand behind his back once again, Kasef stared at the younger boy. “My army stands outside your city gates, at the ready.”

“At the ready?” Ezran frowned at the wording. “What do you mean?”

“Forgive me, but was it not a week ago your regent called on us to unite against the rising Xadian threat?”

“Uh, I’m not sure.” Ezran looked at his advisor, who just hid her face in her hand. 

Kasef was clearly disappointed and irritated, raising his voice. “Xadia has attacked the human kingdoms, _ all  _ of us. There must be a proportionate response.”

“I’m sorry, but, um, I’m kind of new at this. I’m not really sure what you mean. What kind of response?”

“War.”

“What?” Ezran gasped, “No! The people of the human kingdoms and Xadia want peace. I know they do!”

“How can you possibly know that? Xadia has attacked us!”

“No!  _ A part _ of Xadia has attacked, but the majority of Xadia hasn’t! I won’t attack them!”

Kasef glared at him, then turned to the others in the room. “Am I missing something? Why is a child on the throne now? Isn’t there an adult advisor I can speak with?”

“I’m right here! You can speak with me,” Ez snapped. 

“If you can’t take action against Xadia, you have failed as a king!” The other royal paused, “And you have failed as a son.”

The words stung Ezran’s heart as he lowered his head, but Corvus stepped forward. “Enough!” he shouted, pointing at the Neolandian. “You have a disagreement, but you are in the court of King Ezran.”

“Who are you to interrupt a royal discussion?!”

“I’m Corvus,” the hunter said proudly, “I was specifically requested.”

Kasef frowned as he glanced around at the others. “I’m sure once King Ezran has had  _ proper _ council, he will make the correct choice. I will remain in Katolis awaiting your decision.”

As he turned and stormed out with his guards, Ezran sat back in his throne and sighed. He looked at his wrist, but for once, it wasn’t glowing. The boy smiled sadly at it. “Don’t worry, I won’t let it come to war, Cal. I promised you peace.”

~#~

In Xadia, Callum frowned at his wrist. “Ez is going through emotions so fast… fear, anger, hurt… I hope he’s okay.”

“He’s gone back to become King, Cal,” Rayla explained as they walked through the forest. “I’m sure it's nothing to worry about.”

“I wish I could still speak to him…but we must be too far apart now.” The prince sighed, then looked around and smiled. “I wish he was here to see all of this. He’d love it.”

“Yeah… he would,” the elf agreed, then reached to her side to grab a water skin for a drink. She frowned, and tipped it upside down. “Empty...”

“We should stop and refill. And maybe a rest? We’ve been walking non-stop for hours.”

“If by ‘non-stop’ you mean you wandering off every few minutes because you saw something  _ sparkly, _ then yes, we have.”

He smirked and bumped shoulders with her. “Oh come on, I only did that a few times. Those musical flowers were amazing.”

“Just be careful. Xadia is wonderful…but dangerous.”

“Alright, alright,” he conceded. “You know better, oh fearless warrior of the Dragonguard.”

Snorting at him, Rayla looked ahead. “There! A stream. We can stop there and resupply.”

While Rayla stopped to fill up the water skin, Callum looked around at the plants and trees around him. Xadia was  _ stunning _ . He reached down for a flower, touching the petals delicately and sniffing lightly, but even  _ that _ was enough to over power his senses. He chuckled as he walked a little further away, coming across a collection of plants with yellow petals and pink stigma at the top. He reached out to touch this one as well, but suddenly found himself being pulled back by the tail, Rayla smirking at him. “Careful, or you would become your royal stink-ness.”

“What do you mean?”

“That flower? It has a few names. Flatu-lillies, toot-lips, peri-stinkles,” she chuckled, picking up a stone and throwing it at the flowers. They opened up and released a powder into the air with an unflattering sound. 

The dragon coughed and covered his mouth and nose, gagging. “Gah!” 

“But at the end of the day, it’s a fart flower. You pluck one of those, you’d stink for a week.” She gave him a smirk. “Well… more than you already do.”

“I don’t stink!” he huffed, “You stink!”

“Hey, neither of us smell like a bunch of Moonberries, let’s put it that way. Hazard of travelling for weeks.”

Folding his arms, Callum sighed and looked around. “So… where are we going?”

“To my home, it’s not too far. And… well… we can deal with our smell then.”

The dragon chuckled and followed after her, silent in his internal thoughts regarding his brother.

~#~

Back in Katolis, Ezran lied on his back, and stared at the blue sky above, his mind swimming with so many worries. 

Eventually, a familiar face came into view. “May I join you?” Opeli asked with a kind smile. 

“Sure,” he sighed, sitting up. “Have a seat.”

Kneeling as delicately as she could on the grass, the advisor looked at him before speaking. “I noticed you… aren’t wearing it.” 

“Wearing what?”

Her gaze turned away. “Ezran, the crown is a heavy burden to carry.”

The new king looked away from her as well, fiddling with a letter in his hand. “There’s so much happening. I don’t know what to do.”

As Bait leaned against his leg, Opeli held his shoulder and hand in comfort. “There’s no shame if you aren’t yet ready. No one blames you for being a child.”

“I feel like I’m letting everyone down. I feel like I’m letting…” he trailed off, pulling his wrist back and seeing it turn an excited yellow.

Seeing it clearly for the first time, the advisor frowned. “Ezran, you keep mentioning this someone. The friend who believes in Soren’s innocence, and the someone you made a promise to? I…I would like to know who this is.”

Staring at her, Ezran sighed and turned away. “His name’s Callum.”

“Callum?” she repeated, thinking over the name. “Katolis?”

“No, Xadian.”

“A Xadian named Callum?”

“Yeah.” He smiled. “He…he travelled with me, while I was away. He’s my friend.” He traced the mark on his wrist gently. “He’s more than a friend. He's my brother.”

“Brother?”

Ezran nodded, holding up his wrist. “He gave me _ this _ , so we can stay connected. He’s a good guy, looks after me, and he’s always curious, wanting to learn… he’s really smart, and he can do the most amazing drawings.”

Opeli smiled at him. “I hope I can meet him one day.”

“Yeah… I hope you can too.” He gave her a big smile. “It will be an amazing day when you can.”

“Why’s that?”

Glancing at Bait, Ezran shrugged. “No reason.”

For a while, they just sat in peaceful silence, but then, Opeli slowly stood up. “There may be a way out.” 

“What?”

“There are capable people around you who can take up the burden of ruling for a few years, while you…” she paused, giving him a soft smile, “Just focus on growing up.”

“You’re saying a regent?”

“Yes, someone you trust.” She allowed the idea to sink in for a moment. “You choose who it is, for a few years. The crown will be here for you when you’re ready.” She bowed politely. “Just think about it.” With that, she walked away.

With more thoughts than ever swarming his mind, Ezran really wished the others were here to give him advice. He closed his eyes, got up, and left to go think. 

It was almost sunset by the time he’d headed for the throne room, the guards allowing him entrance. Soren, Claudia, Prince Kasef, Opeli, Corvus, and several advisors were there waiting for him. Sighing deeply, he headed towards the throne, still thinking over everything. He glanced at Soren and Claudia as he passed, and stopped at the steps of the throne itself.

“Have you given thought to what we discussed?” Opeli asked as she stood beside him.

“I have,” Ez said, eyes closing as he spoke, “And I have something to say.” He glanced at the throne, steadied himself, and turned to the gathering. “All of you knew King Harrow as a great king. He was a leader, a warrior, and a champion. But I knew him as my dad, who loved me and my mom, and sometimes told really bad jokes.” 

He chuckled lightly at the memory. “I didn’t see everything he had to do as king, but I  _ do _ know that my dad had to make very hard decisions. I’m just a kid. I haven’t fought in any battles. I haven’t read many books of wisdom. I haven’t gone through the things that made my father the king he was.” He paused, thinking about his dragon brother, and feeling the resolve.

“So, I’ve decided… that I don’t have to be the king my father was. My father made choices to keep fighting battles that started hundreds of years before he was born.” He squeezed his hand tight into a fist. “To punish enemies for crimes their parents committed. I don’t want to be that kind of king.” He turned to the two siblings. 

“Viren did bad things, and Claudia did bad things… because of what he taught her, what he told her to do. So… I’m going to give her a chance to change the way she is, to stop hurting things for her own gain, and to choose a new path. So… Claudia can go free… as long as she swears to give up Dark Magic.” 

He looked at his wrist. “It may not be what… what  _ he _ would want, but I’ve decided… to give her another chance. And as for Soren?” He smiled over at the Crown Guard. “He’s amazing! He’s a brilliant fighter, and a great friend, to more than just me. Sure, he made mistakes too, but he made up for them! He tries to do the right thing when he can. Perhaps he can teach his sister how to be a better person.”

Soren gave a small smile at the kind words and nodded his head in thanks, while Claudia looked slightly upset. 

He turned to the guard beside them. “Set them free. Soren and Claudia will not pay for the mistakes their father made, nor his influences”

One of the advisors turned to them. “But Your Highness, they are criminals!”

“Take their chains off!” Ezran demanded, and a guard soon stepped over to take the chains off them both. The king, meanwhile, turned to the prince of Neolandia. “Katolis will not go to war,” he said firmly. “I’m sorry about what happened to your father, and what happened to mine, but we don’t have to avenge them. We don’t have to strike back. We can choose peace. We can choose a new way, end the cycle of death and destruction! There is a chance!”

The Neolandian’s frown deepened before he bowed curtly, and stormed out of the room, the guards pulling the door shut behind him. 

Opeli turned to the young boy with a slight frown. “King Ezran, I admire your courage, but peace will require just as much strength as war. Are you prepared to defend it? 

“Yes.” He turned, and finally put the crown on his head. “I am.”

**SL: Okay so a chapter that was… very much similar to the original episode, but there was some new stuff. Anyway, hope you liked it!**

**RK: The biggest change was probably Soren telling his sister straight. ^-^**


	23. Chapter 20 – Silvergrove Betrayal

#  **Chapter 20 – Silvergrove Betrayal **

Corvus kept his head high as he walked around the palace. It wasn’t his place of choice to spend his time, but he had sworn to protect the new king. He was also one of the few that knew the truth.

He blinked when he turned a corner and spotted the young king with his glow toad, sitting on a windowsill. His knees were pulled up to his chest as he looked outside.

As he got closer, Corvus realised what the boy was looking at; the window looked out over the city, and in the distance, it was possible to make out the Neolandian camp.

He took a deep breath, then approached with a bow. “King Ezran.”

“It’s just me Corvus. You can call me Ez when we’re alone.”

He smiled at the allowance. “Any word from the others?”

“No...and even if they made it, it would be hard to know. I was told the Breach had been destroyed. The only way to get a message across now would be to fly.”

“I see.”

“Have you heard from Pyrrah?”

“No, and I doubt we will. She...she’s a stubborn one.”

“Yeah, but she has a good heart.”

“Somewhere,” the hunter chuckled as he sat in the windowsill beside him. “What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking...I may have put all of Katolis in danger…that…people should know  _ why  _ I’m doing this. To end  _ a thousand years _ of fighting. To bring peace.”

“Well, you  _ do _ have something now that was never there before.” He glanced at the king’s wrist, the mark turning a pale green. “Any idea what each colour means?”

“I think yellow is happy…and blue is worried. Green…I think is tired?” he guessed, looking at the band again. “But…I might be wrong.”

“Would’ve been nice if he’d told you what they meant,” the tracker chuckled. 

“Yeah,” Ez sniggered, “But that’s what you get for having a dragon for a brother.”

Corvus chuckled deeply at the words. “Indeed. Better you than me.”

They fell back into silence, then the king frowned. “Why don’t I tell everyone?”

“What?”

“If they knew that the Dragon Prince is alive… that he’s going home to make peace… then… maybe they’d stop. Everyone wants peace at the end of the day, don’t they?”

“I would hope so, yes.”

“Then… that’s what we do.” He smiled. “I will tell everyone about Callum!”

“Is that a good idea?”

“I’ll tell Opeli first, see what she thinks.”

The man’s eyes narrowed. “Can she be trusted?”

“I think so. She helped my dad a lot so… she should help me too. Will you come with me?”

“As you wish my King.”

“Corvus~” he whined as they stood up. 

The hunter just smirked, then ruffled the boy’s hair. “Alright, as you wish Ez.”

Nodding in approval, the pair left to find the cleric and found her in the library with a collection of scrolls. She blinked in surprise when she saw the king and tracker, but soon bowed respectfully. “Your Highness.”

“Opeli… there’s something I need to talk to you about. I need your advice.”

“Of course sire, however I can serve you.”

He took a deep breath. “Y-you know the person I told you about, Callum?”

“Your Xadian friend? Your…brother?” she questioned, still confused.

The king nodded. “Yeah… him. Remember I said… it would be amazing if you could meet him?”

“Yes?”

“Well… that’s because… Callum… is a dragon. More than that…” He gave her a shy smile. “He’s… the Dragon Prince.”

The woman blinked in amazement. “W-what?”

“He wasn’t killed. Viren kidnapped him, and locked him up in this castle for ten years. But…but a Moonshadow elf named Rayla, and I freed him. We were taking him home when Corvus caught up. They’re in Xadia now, on their way to the palace. Once Callum sees his mother and explains everything, he’s going to call for peace, and I will do the same from Katolis.”

The advisor staggered a little, grabbing hold of the table to steady herself while the information sank in. “So…you honestly  _ do _ have a way to stop this war?”

“Yes! I wasn’t kidding! Peace is  _ so  _ close! We just have to wait for Callum to get home and make it official! A few days, that’s all we need!”

“If Prince Kasef knew this… it may be enough to stop him.”

“So… you agree? I should tell everyone about this?”

She smiled at him, kneeling and taking his wrist, showing the band. “As soon as I saw this, I knew it was a dragon mark. I remember reading about them when I was younger, but I had no idea it was the Prince that gave it to you.” She blinked again. “You really are his brother.”

Ezran nodded several times. “Yeah, and he’s mine. So please, you need to help me stop this.”

She frowned, then stood up, looking to the door. “Send for Prince Kasef! Tell him the King wishes to speak to him at once!”

With a bow, the guard hurried away while Opeli nodded. “You need to tell him at once, before anything can happen to tip the scales.”

“I agree.”

The trio soon hurried to the throne room, Ezran sparing a moment to put on a warm cloak as he went. He stood, waiting for the Neolandian prince to return. The throne room’s doors opened without announcement, and the older man walked in, still looking angry from the day before. 

“Prince Kasef, thank you for coming,” the king greeted politely.

“Why have you summoned me?” he snapped, not bowing this time. “Have you had a change of heart?”

“No,” the boy said flatly, “But there’s something I want to tell  _ you _ that might change  _ your _ heart.”

“Try me.”

“Some bad things have happened, I know that. My dad is gone. Your dad is badly hurt. But there is something you don’t know about.” He glanced at the others by his side, both of them giving a small, approving nod. “There is hope. This war only got worse because Xadia thought we killed the Dragon Prince, but we didn’t! The Dragon Prince is alive!” 

The Neolandian stepped back a little at his words. “What?”

“He’s alive. He was held prisoner here, without anyone knowing. And he’s really amazing!” 

Kasef said nothing as he stared at the young king.

Ezran continued. “He’s going home to the Dragon Queen, with the help of an elf named Rayla. And when he gets home, he’s going to call for peace. He’s going to make the elves and dragons stop fighting, and I will do the same for the human kingdoms.”

“Kingdom,” Kasef corrected, “You only speak for Katolis.”

“But if one human kingdom can do it, the others can follow. The world can change Prince Kasef.  _ We _ can change the world! There can be peace again. We just have to believe in it.”

The tracker and the cleric both smiled proudly at his words. 

He turned back to the prince, Ez stepping down from the throne so he was nearer to the other. “So, what do you think?”

The other royal glared, towering over the young king. “I think you’re a little boy putting his hopes in  _ fairy tales _ .”

The sharp words had everyone defensive, the guards behind ready for any attack, and both Corvus and Opeli stepping forward to defend Ezran, but Kasef just glared and turned away. “You don’t need to throw me out. We’re finished here,” he said, storming off once more. 

Ezran sighed as he left. “I… I had hoped… I thought… he’d see it,” he whispered, then turned to the others. “What do we do now?”

~#~

Soren really,  _ really _ didn’t want to do this, but if he had any chance of saving Claudia, he knew he had to. He walked with her down into the dungeons to see their father, the guard letting them pass without question. 

“My children,” came the voice as he stepped out of the shadows, looking the same as when they’d left him. “I’m so glad to see you safe.”

Soren glared at him, but held his tongue for the moment. 

Claudia walked towards the bars and smiled sadly. “What happened, Dad? Why are you down here?”

Viren sighed. “While I tried to unite the five kingdoms against Xadia, the Council was more concerned that I broke a few rules along the way. But none of that matters,” he looked at his daughter expectantly, “The dragon, did you get it back?”

“It?” Soren snapped, “You still think of him as an  _ it _ ?”

“Soren? What are you talking about?”

“He’s a boy, father! No older than your own daughter, and you tortured him!” the guard shouted, “You kept him locked up like an animal!”

“Soren, we’ve been over this!” Claudia hissed. “It  _ is _ an animal!”

“Callum has more heart and kindness in him than both of you! He had the chance to kill me, but didn’t, and I’m glad he didn’t! It gave me a chance to see the mistakes I’ve been making...because of you, father.”

Viren glared at his son. “Soren, that… _ boy _ ...is the most powerful creature in the world. Where is he now?”

“Back in Xadia, where he belongs,” Soren explained with a huff, “Away from you.”

“What I did was for the good of humanity!” he shouted, pulling on his chains.

Soren didn’t even flinch at the words. “Really? Kidnapping an innocent young dragon from his home after you killed his father? That’s for the good of humanity?! And what about you asking me to kill Ezran?!”

“I did no such thing!”

“You told me to come back with the news that the prince was dead… and if he wasn’t… then to make sure it was true.”

Viren’s face looked confused. “Oh, is that what you thought Soren? Claudia, do you really think I would ask him to do such a thing? Surely you know your brother is um…easily confused.”

“Don’t try that,  _ father _ . I know what I heard!” 

“Oh, really? What do you remember?”

“You told me to return with the news that the prince died. You said,  _ accidents happen all the time _ .”

“Soren, I was preparing you for the worst. I knew tragedy might have already befallen him.”

“No! You said that I’d know to do the right thing.”

“Soren, I said ‘do the right thing’, and somehow you heard ‘kill the prince’? Oh, this is disappointing, son. Even for you.”

The guard glared at him. “Why you manipulating…Even if you didn’t tell me to kill Ezran, you still wanted Claudia to capture Callum so you could keep using him for your own twisted magic! And you can’t deny that! I saw what you did to him! I know about the scars on his wrists! I saw the pain in his eyes, the hate when he spoke about you!”

“And you’re going to believe a dragon over your own father?”

“At least that dragon  _ cares _ about me!” he snapped, storming out of the dungeon.

~#~

Rayla was becoming more and more energetic as they walked through the forest, skipping on ahead as they walked. Callum couldn’t stop smiling at her, never seeing her like this before. It made his stomach flutter a little.

As she hurried on ahead once more, he reached out and held her hand to pull her back. “Slow down Rayla,” he chuckled, “Silvergrove will still be there.”

She glanced at their hands before nodding and looking away, brushing some hair behind her ear. “I know… I’m just excited to show you my home… and for you to meet everyone.”

“I know.”

“We aren’t far now, just along that branch.” She pointed over to a huge branch that was much wider than Callum thought a tree could grow, but Rayla still pulled him along. Finally, she let out a deep, heartfelt sigh as they reached the middle. “We’re here. My home,” she said fondly.

Callum frowned, tilting his head as he saw a clearing. It was barren, and void of any village. “Here?” he asked, confused. “I… I don’t understand. You said it was a village?”

She smirked at him. “It’s hidden by an illusion. We can’t let just  _ anyone  _ into the village.”

“So… how do we see past the illusion?”

“To get in, I perform a special ritual that lets me see through the spell. It’s like having a magic key.”

The dragon frowned at her. “Okay… I guess that makes sense. But what about me? How do I get in?”

“You can use my key.” She took a stand, one arm held out to the side and the other bending over her chest. 

He looked her up and down, then copied her position. 

“That’s it. It’s easy. Just do what I do,” she explained, then began to move, swaying her arms from one side to the other, and making sure Callum could copy her before she moved on to the next step. Gradually, she began to move around in a circle, almost as if she were dancing with the prince. They turned and spun, the prince ungracefully matching her every move while his eyes never left her. 

It wasn’t long before runes began to appear on the tree bark and glow around them, creating a circle where they stepped. As the key called for them to hold hands in the middle, a magical bubble broke the illusion, and the grove began to come into view. Buildings and walkways appeared around the trees, and people walked from place to place. The illusion also cast them into a darker space, as if the moon was above them even when the sun still shone. 

As the dance came to an end, Rayla hurried forward yet again. “This is it!” she announced proudly, “My home.”

Standing at her side, Callum smiled. “Wow,” he whispered before frowning. “Rayla?”

“Come on, isn’t it amazing?” she questioned, ignoring him while walking backwards. She grabbed his hand and pulled him along. “I want to show you everything! Oh, are you hungry? I can take you where they make the best Moonberry Surprise.”

The dragon continued to frown, looking around at the air. “Rayla…”

“I know what you’re going to ask. ‘What's in a Moonberry Surprise?’ but I can’t just tell you what’s in a Moonberry Surprise, Callum. It’s a surprise!”

“Rayla!” he snapped, his concern growing. “Rayla, something’s…”

“I can show you where I grew up, where I went to school, and…”

“Rayla, something’s wrong!” he shouted at last. 

Stopping, the elf stared at him. “What?”

“The village...” he explained, sniffing the air. “I can feel it...something’s wrong.” He walked over to someone before stopping, backing off from them with a gasp.

Rayla hurried over as she saw the faceless elf. “Oh, no! I'm...I’m a ghost!” she gasped, covering her mouth.

“What do you mean?” he asked, walking over to the villager and waving his hand in front of their face. There was no reaction. 

“They made me a ghost,” she sighed, sitting down on a rock with her head in her hands. 

Walking over to her, Callum knelt down and placed a hand on her knee. “Rayla? What’s going on? I don’t understand.”

“I’ve been banished, Cal. And because you used my key, they can’t see you either.”

“Why would they banish you? Y-you did nothing wrong.”

“It’s what happened to my parents when they abandoned the Dragonguard. And now it’s happened to me.” She curled in on herself before pulling her hood over her face.

Callum stared at her for a bit, then reached over and pulled it down. He saw the tears in her eyes and reached over to wipe them away. “Rayla...you… this is wrong. They just don’t know what happened.” He leant over and nuzzled her cheek. “Rayla, please, there must be something I can do.”

“I’m sorry Callum, but other than waiting outside the illusion for someone to come out… there’s nothing we can do.”

“This isn’t right,” he whispered, leaning on her shoulder. “This is a mistake.”

Stroking his hair back, Rayla suddenly blinked, a smile forming on her lips. “Yeah, you’re right! This is a mistake.” She pushed him back and kissed his brow before standing. “Come on. There’s one person who will understand,” she explained as she held his hand, pulling him along with her. 

They headed around the outskirts of the buildings to a ramp that went up the side of a tree. Rayla’s good mood appeared to have returned. “Remember Runaan, the leader of the assassins?”

“Hard to forget,” Callum sighed, “The guy with the bow? The one who aimed at Ezran?” 

“Yeah… sorry about that by the way.”

He gave her a smirk in return. “What about him?”

“When my parents joined the Dragonguard, I went to live with Runaan and his husband, Ethari. They were my parents’ best friends, and they took care of me for years. We’re going to meet Ethari.”

Callum frowned as they walked, a feeling of dread tightening in his chest. “Will he be able to see you?”

“He wouldn’t have done the spell,” she said with an optimism that just made his dread grow. “He always had faith in me!” They arrived at the top of the stairs and looked up at the large doors before them. She took a breath and pushed them open, walking inside. “Ethari! It’s me!” she called.

Callum walked in carefully behind her, staying near the door. 

Rayla stared at an elf working at his desk on the other side of the room. “I’m so glad you’re here. There’s been a mistake. They made me a ghost! But you have to tell them, I didn’t run away.” 

Ethari didn’t seem to react to her words, just carried on working.

Taking a deep breath, the dragon walked over to Rayla and held her shoulder, preparing himself. “Rayla…”

“Ethari?” she called once more, watching as he turned to them...and showed no face. 

Callum sighed and stepped over to his friend. “I’m so sorry Rayla.”

She turned to him, tears in her eyes. “I… I don’t believe it… he… he did it.”

The dragon stared at her, then walked over to the elf as he returned to his work. “Hey! Ethari! Listen to me! This isn’t fair! Rayla said you had faith in her, and now look at you!  _ You’re _ the traitor here, turning your back on her!”

He didn’t even flinch as he carried on. 

The prince growled. “Didn’t you hear me?!” he shouted, grabbing the elf by the shoulder. “I’m speaking to you!”

Ethari  _ did _ flinch that time, turning to look in his direction. The elf paused for a moment, then reached out towards him. The prince glared. “Yeah, I’m talking to you! And you’re going to listen!”

“Callum, it’s no use. It’s hopeless.”

Callum squeezed a little tighter, concentrating. “Listen to me! Rayla doesn’t deserve this!” he snapped, watching as a shock of lightning danced from his hand, onto Ethari, down his arm, and into the metal sword he was working on. With a tip of his head, Ethari picked it up, looking it over before standing sharply.

The prince gasped. “I think it worked,” he said, glancing at the blade as well before smiling. “Look, in the reflection!” He pointed, seeing in the polished metal, the face of the weapon-smith. He was staring at the dragon, confusion clear, but Callum just pointed in Rayla’s direction. He turned the blade and directed it to where he pointed, seeing the ghost behind him.

He stood, mouth agape as he stared at the reflection. 

“Yeah… it’s me.”

“Can he hear you?” Callum asked, watching the elf carefully. 

“No, but he can see how I feel.”

Callum grabbed the smith once more. “Speak to her!” he ordered. 

If Ethari heard him, the elf lowered the sword and sighed. “Rayla, before you left, I told Runaan that you were too goodhearted for the work of an assassin. So I know you did not betray them out of malice.” He paused, and Callum felt him shudder. “But that doesn’t matter. They’re gone.” He shuddered again, then pounded his hands on the table. “ _ He’s _ gone. Because you abandoned them.”

He shook the dragon’s hand off him and walked to the side of the room, not paying any attention to either of them. Callum was about to zap him when Rayla turned around and ran off. After giving the elf a dirty glare, Callum ran after her. “Rayla! Rayla, wait!” he called, hurrying to catch up. As he ran down, he noticed her heading to a pond in the square. He flapped his wings to glide down and join her by the water’s edge, taking hold of her hands. “Rayla?”

She sniffed and leaned into him, letting the tears fall. “It’s not fair Callum,” she whispered, “It-it's not fair. Th-they won’t give me a chance.”

“I will make them Rayla. There must be something I can do. Ethari seemed to feel it when I held his shoulder. Maybe… because I’m a dragon, my magic is stronger than the spell. If I can get past it…”

“It won’t change anything. And it won’t change  _ this _ .” She pointed to the pond beside them. “It won’t change that…they didn’t make it,” she sighed. “I knew…somehow...I knew when Sol Regem called me a traitor…I somehow knew they didn’t make it back… but a part of me hoped that they may have gone another way? Maybe they did, and he just didn’t know about it… but then… I saw this.” She pointed to a metal flower floating in the middle of the pond. 

“What is it?”

“It’s an enchanted flower. When assassins are sent out on a dangerous mission, Ethari enchants one of these flowers for each of them. As long as the assassin lives and breathes, their flower floats.” She sighed, reaching for his wrist and looking at the bond on it. “It’s similar to this… just… without the emotions.”

“And… the others sank...so…”

“They didn’t make it. They thought I ran away,” she sniffed. 

“But you didn’t run,” he cooed, stroking her hair back. “They have it all wrong. They just need to see that.”

“Callum, it’s no use! They will never understand...I’ve lost everything.”

He stared at her, then reached down to hold her chin, lifting it up so she could see him. “Not everything...You still have me.”

With a small smile, she nodded, and rested her head on his chest. “Yeah…I have you…dumb lizard.”

Embracing her, he sighed. “Come on, we should leave this place. Once we have stopped the war, we’ll come back and set everything straight.”

She nodded and sighed, leaning back before noticing someone behind her. Looking at them in the water, his face was shocked by what he was seeing. 

Turning to face them in the reflection, Ethari held out his hand to Rayla’s. “Take my hand,” he told her, and slowly, a glow came from the contact. His face returned, and he smiled when he saw her fully. “There you are.” 

After a moment of taking in his features, the pair embraced, Rayla holding back tears as they parted. “Ethari.”

“You know, I was never as strong as the others,” he sighed, holding her hands. “This will only break the spell for a moment, but I couldn’t bear to let you leave without seeing you one last time.” His gaze was saddened as he looked at her. “But I don’t understand Rayla. How could you abandon them?”

“I’m so sorry Ethari… I… I didn’t want to. But… you have to understand… I didn’t run away. I tried to stop them, I tried to show them what I’d found, but he wouldn’t listen… I’m sorry.”

The elf looked over to the hybrid dragon who was giving him a disapproving glare, but Ethari just blinked. “Wait… is that…”

“The Dragon Prince,” Callum introduced himself. “And yes, I’m alive. I’m getting a little fed up with people saying that. And you have some explaining to do! How  _ dare _ you cast Rayla out without hearing her side of the story!”

Ethari backed off a little from Rayla. “I… I didn’t know… I just… I thought…” 

“You thought she ran away? That she was a coward? Well, you were wrong! She was saving my life!”

“I… I didn’t know!”

“Well you do now! So get this damn spell broken!” 

“I-I can’t!”

“You cast a spell you can’t undo?!”

“It has to be done by the whole village.”

“THEN GET THEM TO DO IT!”

“Callum, please, calm down,” Rayla sighed, holding her hand towards him. 

He calmed down a little, still giving the smith the stink eye. Ethari swallowed as he looked over the pair once more. “Rayla, what you’ve found… it will change the world.”

“I know. Which is why I have to get Callum home.”

He smiled, then noticed the badge on her jacket. “Dragon Guard?”

“ _ My _ Dragon Guard,” Callum confirmed in a low growl. 

Ethari nodded. “I see. But… your highness, you need to know. The Dragon Queen is dying.” 

“What?” the prince gasped, his growl ceasing quickly.

“Since the death of her mate, she’s been getting weaker, and has recently fallen very ill. The word is… she doesn’t have long left.”

A cold shiver ran down the dragon’s spine. “We have to get to her, fast.”

The weapon-smith nodded, then brought his fingers to his lips to whistle. After a few seconds, two silver and dark-blue creatures came running from the distance. The first one was a Shadowpaw, coming up to nuzzle Rayla, while the other stood proudly behind the prince. “You can ride faster than you can walk,” he explained, watching as the other, a Moonstrider, sniffed the prince.

It took a few sniffs, then leaned back before slowly lowering its head towards the ground. It bowed to the dragon, then sat on the ground to give him easier access to the saddle.

Ethari and Rayla both looked amazed at the unusual behaviour for the normally proud Moonstrider. “Wow… he  _ really is _ the prince,” the tinker said as he watched Rayla mount her own ride. “I’ll send a message to the Dragon Queen. If she knows her son is on his way and still lives, perhaps she’ll hold on.”

As she sat on the back of the Shadowpaw, Rayla looked sadly at the man she called family. “Ethari…” she started, but then glanced away. “Can I ever come home again?”

The other averted his gaze as well. “I don’t know,” he confessed, ignoring the look the prince was giving him before reaching for the necklace that he wore. He took it off and put it around the girl’s neck. “It’s a real Moon Opal,” he explained as she looked down at the simple stone. “When I gave its match to Runaan, I told him, ‘ _ My love will be with you even when the moon is not. _ ’” He smiled sadly at the memory. “Goodbye, Rayla,” he whispered, just before a blue glow shrouded them and removed his face once more.

While Rayla sighed, already heading out, Callum moved the Strider over to Ethari, reaching out to grab his arm tight. “You will find a way for Rayla to come home,” he ordered.

Even without a face, he nodded and turned away, the prince tapping the creature’s reins and hurrying after his friend. The Strider was fast and agile as it leapt from rock to rock to join them.

Soon, he was riding beside Rayla, watching as her hand still held the Moon Opal. He sighed softly. “Rayla, are...are you alright?”

“I’ll be fine,” she sighed, then looked over at him. “It’s just…let’s get you home.”

**SL: So, this chapter had a lot of changes and a lot of… heart stopping moments. Soren having to face his father… it wasn’t easy to write. **

**RK: This chapter is basically the chapter of “good baby boys standing up for the right thing”. But I liked the changes we made in this chapter, and I hope you guys liked em too. :)**


	24. Chapter 21 - Nyx

** Chapter 21 – Nyx **

Having ridden through the whole night, Callum was shaking himself as he sat atop the Moonstrider's back. His eyes drooped closed, but no matter how many times Rayla offered to stop, he was determined to press on, for his mother.

But as his head lolled once more, almost causing him to fall off his steed, Rayla hurried over and reached for the reins. "Callum, stop. You keep going like this, you're going to fall off."

"I can't stop Rayla," he yawned, "My…my mother needs me."

"You're going to do her no good if you get there all battered," she told him, pulling both mounts to a stop. "Look, let's just rest for a few hours. The Strider and Paw could do with it too. It's the middle of the day, and they aren't so good in the light."

With a sigh, the dragon nodded. "Alright…but only for a few minutes."

He moved to climb down, but the Strider knelt to make the task easier. Rayla also climbed down and stroked the Shadowpaw's face. "You know, it's odd he does that."

"What do you mean?"

"Moonstiders are notoriously proud. They don't bow for…anyone. Yet, he does it for you."

The prince nodded and stroked the creature's neck. "Well…who knows? Anyway, if we're going to stop, then we might as well have something to eat."

Sitting at the base of a tree, the pair sat and rested, Callum in sullen silence while Rayla just looked at her amulet. "Callum…I… I wanted to tell you something." She held it tight, fumbling with her words. "It… it's kinda hard to say and… I know it's strange and… you probably don't feel the same but… the thing is… I… I've kinda… got… feelings for you." She glanced over at him. "Strong…" she trailed off when she saw his eyes were closed. "Callum?"

His breathing was slow and steady and she realised he'd fallen asleep beside her.

Glad she'd at least been able to say it, even if he hadn't heard, Rayla leant back and watched the trees. Suddenly, something rustled above them and Rayla jerked, her sudden flinch waking the dragon. "W-what is it?"

"Someone's coming," she said, hand hovering over her blades.

They both stood up, looking for whatever was coming. Callum looked up just as something dropped from the canopy above, landing directly in front of them.

As it stood, and the pair both prepared for a fight, they realised it was an elf with two feathered wings sprouting from the small of her back. She stood, then looked at them both with two different coloured eyes. "Greetings, travellers. My name is Naimi-Selari-Nykantia, but they call me Nyx."

"Nyx?" Rayla repeated.

"Yes, and no need to introduce yourself. You are Rayla, Dragon Guard of Prince Cadonumis."

The elf frowned. "How do you know that?"

"I am an emissary of the Dragon Queen. She received your message, and she sent me to help you." She walked over to Callum, bowing in half. "Your majesty, I am at your service."

With a tip of his head, the dragon stared at her. "You've been sent to help us?"

"Yes, by the queen herself. She's anxious for your return."

He smiled a little. "She is?"

"She lit up when she read the letter, more than anyone has seen in a very long time."

"Rayla…she…she's…" He grinned before glancing back at the Skywing. "How are you going to get me home?"

Rayla turned to him. "We're doing just fine on our own, Callum."

"I can give you all a ride," Nyx answered, "I can get you across the Midnight Desert."

"Hey, there's no way to cross the Midnight Desert." Rayla frowned. "Only dragons can fly across that. We're going around it."

"Even with the news, the Dragon Queen is still sick, and you would waste almost two weeks, when I can take you straight across in three days?"

"Three days?" Callum asked again. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely your highness. You'll be home before the next moon."

"Don't listen to her Callum. There is no way for anyone to make it on foot. As soon as it gets dark, the soulfang serpents will get you."

"Not if we go to an oasis," Nyx countered. "We make it to one of them before the sun sets, and the barrier will protect us. I know where they all are."

The prince turned to his guard. "Rayla?"

She had a sour expression. "It's true…There are oases protected by magic barriers in the desert…and if we can get to one, we would be safe… but that's if we get to one."

Stepping over to her, Callum held her hand. "Rayla, a three day trip instead of two weeks? That has to be better. The sooner I get home, the sooner we can stop the war." He looked at her, eyes pleading. "You heard what she said; my mother is still weak. I need to get back to her."

Looking at the ground, Rayla thought about it, then nodded. "Alright. Let's do it."

"Fantastic! Follow me!" Nyx exclaimed as she turned, leading the way through the forest.

As the group carried on, Callum glanced over at Rayla. "So… what is this…Midnight Desert?"

"It's this desert in the middle of Xadia. It's haunted and horrifying," Rayla explained. "It's made of black sand, so it soaks up the sun's heat. In the daytime, it's hotter than any desert known to elf. And the night is worse."

"I'm guessing it's these soulfangs you mentioned?"

She nodded. "They are the worst part. They suck the spirit out of their victims, turning them into barely-living husks. I saw one once; it got into Silvergrove…I had nightmares for a month!"

Ahead of them, Nyx nodded. "Yep, it's all that and worse. But we're going to be above all that." She turned back to the view as the trees parted for a black, sandy landscape. "Literally."

Slowly, the pair noticed something was moving across the landscape towards them, a creature as tall as the trees they had just come out of. Nyx smiled. "There she is. That's my ride; an ambler." As Nyx took to the air, Rayla and Callum moved to follow, meeting the ambler just as the sand became too hot.

Nyx landed at the creature's large feet and nodded at the pair. "She'll get us to the first oasis by sundown, and we'll spend the night. Then, we'll move on and make it to the second before sunset. From there, it's half a day more to the other side, and you're almost home, your highness."

Looking up at the creature, Callum smiled. "Thank you, this is just what we needed Nyx."

"As I said, I'm at your service your highness." She bowed once more, then waved to the ambler who pulled her tail around and allowed the two and their mounts to climb aboard. Carefully, she lifted them up to the saddled platform upon her back.

Once settled, Nyx flew to the saddle on its neck and directed the ambler back into the desert. After making sure the Shadowpaw and Moonstrider were settled for the ride, Callum decided to pass the time drawing the two mounts for a while. He looked up from his paper and noticed Rayla cleaning her blades yet again, something the prince realised was a nervous habit.

Closing his sketchbook, he walked over to her. "Something on your mind?" he asked, leaning on the edge beside her.

The elf looked away as she finished. "It's nothing."

"Rayla, you promised me there would be no more secrets between us."

"It's not a secret Callum," she sighed. "It's just… complicated and personal."

He watched as she held the opal necklace. "Ethari and Runaan?"

After a moment, she nodded. "After my parents…disappeared, they raised me for ten years… and… and I let them down."

"Rayla… you didn't."

"Then why is Runaan dead?" she sighed, letting the necklace drop. "Why…why am I alive and he's not?"

He took a breath, then let it out slowly. "Forgive me for saying this about him but… he was a stubborn fool who wouldn't see reason."

"Callum!"

"I'm sorry Rayla, but it's true!" he snapped at her. "I was there! He saw me, he saw there was no reason to attack, no reason to continue the fight. He could have called it off! He should have followed your lead and aimed for peace, not vengeance and war!" He glared off into the distance. "He had a chance to change the world…but he didn't take it...for his own pride."

The elf stared at him, then sighed. "I guess…you're right."

"Rayla, I'm sorry," he whispered, reaching for her hand. "But… you can't be responsible for everyone. He had a choice to make, just like you did. You chose peace. You chose to bring me home. You chose to protect Ezran, to look after me, and come with us on this journey. Runaan chose to hate, and I'm sorry for that, but it was his choice."

Looking at him, she eventually nodded. "I did choose. I chose you." She smiled a bit more. "Callum, I-"

Suddenly, the ambler jerked to the side, sending them both toppling forward. "Are you alright Rayla?" Callum asked, but before he could help her up, Nyx flew over to them.

"Sorry about that your highness. Her foot's stuck in a hole," she explained, looking down to see the ambler struggling to free her leg from the sand. "The soulfangs burrow under the ground during the day and make all these tunnels. If too many are in one place, the ground gives way. I just need to go down and get her foot out."

"Can we help?" he offered.

The Skywing shook her head. "No, it's too dangerous for you your highness. Just stay up here where it's safe." She smiled, then jumped down to the sand below.

As she did, Callum turned to Rayla who was now standing again. "You were saying something before?"

She stared at him, but the moment was gone. "I was going to say…I think I made the right choice."

He nodded, holding her hand and nuzzling against her cheek. "You did."

The familiar sensation made her smile, but also made everything so much more complicated. "Callum…"

"Yes?"

She looked at him before smiling and brushing his hair back lightly. "Thanks."

He smiled back, then gasped as the ambler got her foot free and continued on her way. As the day went on, the prince wondered what could be wrong with Rayla. She still seemed distant and not herself, but he decided to give her some space, letting her think.

As the sun began to set behind them, Nyx stood from her saddle. "Ah, there is it," she explained, pointing ahead. The pair hurried to look at a gap in the dark, black sand, parting for a green, lush space with a pool of water in the middle. Five pillars created a glowing, blue barrier around it.

Once inside it, the ambler held up her tail to allow the passengers down, Nyx joining them. "It's not much, but it will do for the night. The second one is bigger, but it's further away. At least this is a safe haven for the night."

"Thanks for your help Nyx," Callum said with a smile, then turned to the ambler. "And thanks to you, for letting us ride on your back."

The beast tilted its head, but then nodded slowly while the Skywing smiled. "That's very kind of you. Now, it gets cold here at night, so I'll go get you a blanket."

"That's kind of you, but I have my own." He patted his bag. "And… dragons don't tend to feel the cold. I once fell into an icy, but was fine once I dried off. Didn't even feel it."

"You fell into an icy river?!" the elf gasped, horrified. "Oh, you poor thing! Were you alright?"

Callum shrugged. "Well, I didn't actually fall into it… I kinda jumped in to save my brother."

"Brother?"

"Claimed," he added, "Claimed brother."

"Well, I would love to hear about your adventures."

"Sure," he agreed, moving to find a space to sit down, but noticed Rayla had gone off on her own again. "Nyx… do you know what's wrong with Rayla?"

The elf frowned. "Probably just tired. Come on, I want to hear all your stories!"

Having made a fire, the pair let the next few hours pass before Rayla came back over, just as Callum began to tell about his time at the nexus. Nyx seemed to be completely drawn into his story, leaning forward with wide eyes and a smile. "Wow, you really have had an adventure. But, I think it would be best if we get some sleep now."

Agreeing, Callum got out his blanket and passed Rayla hers. He looked around for somewhere to sleep, but noticed that Ralya didn't make eye contact and set up her blanket slightly further from him and Nyx.

When morning came around, Rayla busied herself with making sure the two moon creatures were alright and ready for the next leg of the journey. As she did, Callum walked over to Nyx while she saw to the ambler. "Does she have a name?"

"Umm…Amble?"

Callum chuckled as he reached over to the creature, stroking her foot. "Nice to meet you Amble. Is her leg alright after yesterday?"

"Ah, that's kind of you to worry, but she's fine." The Skywing stood and looked at the prince. "So, how are you feeling about going home?"

"Honestly…I'm completely terrified," he confessed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean…everyone keeps expecting me to be this… big, powerful dragon, but…in truth, I barely have a grasp on my Arcanum and I still can't shift into my true form."

Rubbing her chin, the elf thought about it. "Well, I'm sure you'll be a great leader, judging from the stories you told me, you have all the signs."

"Signs?"

"Your kind, thoughtful, brave, considerate," she said, counting on her fingers, then changing hands. "Understanding, compassionate, strong, and noble." She smiled and winked at him. "Not to mention handsome."

Feeling a little hot around the cheeks, the dragon looked away. "Umm, thank you."

"You know what you need?" she asked, moving closer to him.

"No? What?"

"A good woman by your side."

Again, he went red. "I…I do?"

"Yeah," the other teased as she walked over to him, standing a little closer. "Someone to help you, who understands the pain and stress of ruling." She placed her hand under his chin. "Someone you can…turn to when things get tough."

Swallowing hard, the male stepped back quickly. "Well, I've got Rayla."

Nyx chuckled lightly. "Oh, dear Callum…Rayla is a girl. Young, unsure, doubting herself. No…what you need…" she teased, placing her arm around his middle, and rubbing the top of his tail. "Is a woman."

Face burning up at the feeling, Callum backed away from her. "I-I-I should get back," he stammered, "I'm going to… get packed before we leave, see if Rayla needs any help." He quickly turned to leave.

"Wait."

He turned back to look at her, still blushing and shy. "Y-yes?"

Stepping back over to him, Nyx held his shoulder, smiling as she looked into his eyes. "You don't need Rayla. I'm all you need."

"Nyx, I…" He was cut off when she lifted a pouch of some kind from her pocket, throwing its content into his face. The content made him cough and blink, and he backed away from her for a moment. "What was that…Nyx?" he asked, rubbing his forehead. "What happened?"

"You…you were telling me about Rayla?" Nyx smirked.

He frowned as he coughed into his hand. "Rayla? What about her?"

"Well, do you still want her to come with us?"

After one last cough, he stepped towards her. Callum smiled and rubbed his cheek against hers. "Who cares about her? You're the only one I need."

Holding back a pleased sound, the Skywing smiled. "You should go tell her that. She seems to think she's coming with us."

He nodded before turning and heading away, looking for Rayla. He eventually found her sat by the water. "Rayla," he called to her.

"Oh, hey Callum. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, I am. But you're not coming with us."

She turned quickly and stood up. "W-what?"

"You heard me. You're not coming with Nyx and I." He shrugged casually. "Go back to Silvergrove or whatever, I don't care. But you're not going any further."

"I'm trying to work out if this is some really bad joke, but I'm not seeing anything funny in this."

"Because it's not a joke," he sighed, turning away. "I don't want you to come."

"But…Callum, after everything we've been through…"

"Rayla, we have been through nothing."

"Really? Saving you from that cell? Helping you with your nightmares? Panicking over your life when you were bitten by the Antacuda snake? Looking after you when you were thrown out of harmony… that was nothing?!" she shouted, genuinely hurt by his words.

Callum didn't even flinch. "Yeah, it was. See, until now, you're the only elf I knew. Sure, we met Lujanne and Ethari, but Lujanne was a bit crazy, and Ethari ghosting you, he wouldn't be much use in getting me home. But now I realise, you're nothing. There is nothing special about you. In fact, you are below nothing. You're a disgrace. Sol Regem was right. You are a coward and a traitor, leaving your own kind to save your own skin. Why would I want to take you with me?"

"Because I'm your friend!"

"You are nothing to me!" he snapped, "Nyx is all I need."

"Nyx?! You hardly even know her!" Rayla shouted, running after him, and grabbing his arm. "Callum, what's wrong with you? Why are you doing this?" He glared at her, then suddenly grabbed her wrist, squeezing till she gasped at the pain. Her eyes widened as she felt his talons dig into her skin. "Callum, you're hurting me!"

He continued to squeeze, but then let go, staring at her and breathing heavily. "Rayla?…" he gasped, but then shook his head and huffed. "Just stay away from us," he ordered before turning and walking over to Nyx, who had come to watch. She smiled as the prince wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go Nyx."

Rayla couldn't bring herself to do anything apart from watch them climb onto the ambler and begin to head off into the black sands. She stared after them, rubbing her wrist where he'd grabbed her, trying to comprehend why Callum would do this. As she thought, tears fell from her eyes and down her cheeks. She found her knees giving way and she fell to the ground. The wall of confidence he helped build for her cracked, and self-doubt flooded her mind. All she could see were her flaws, faults, mistakes, and everything wrong with herself.

Maybe he was right. Maybe she was a failure.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there, but the sun was above her when she decided she couldn't stay anymore. She didn't know where she would go. She was a ghost to her own people, and she had nowhere else. Perhaps she would try and get back to Ezran, see if he still wanted her.

She walked over to the Strider and Paw, stroking them both. "I guess… it's just us now," she said to them, watching as the Shadowpaw nuzzled her gently, giving her at least something to smile about. "Thanks big guy," she sighed, scratching his chin.

As it looked at her, Rayla sighed, thinking about the anger she'd seen in Callum's eyes when he shouted at her. She breathed deeply, closing her eyes, and hoping to banish the memory. As she prepared to climb up into the saddle, she hesitated.

She thought back to the memory, concentrating on a part of it: Callum's eyes. When he'd stared at her…she was certain they had a brown colouration to them. "His eyes changed," she said aloud, blinking as she thought about it. "Why have his eyes changed?"

Frowning, she climbed up onto the Shadowpaw and turned it to follow the ambler's tracks, the Moonstrider following freely. "I need to speak to him again."

~#~

Callum sighed as he looked over the side, staring at the desert sand below, his head pounding. Nyx was up at the head of their ride, directing it to the next oasis, so he was alone for the moment.

Groaning, he rubbed his eyes, then moved to sit down, wondering why everything hurt. It was like a part of him was gone, but he had everything he needed. He had Nyx. She would take him home, look after him, and be there for him. Nothing was missing. The thought soothed his headache and he sighed in relief, looking at his wrist.

Ez seemed quiet, the band only mildly changing with worry over something.

"Callum."

He turned to the voice, frowning as he stood. "Rayla, what are you doing back here? I told you to leave!"

"Callum, why are your eyes brown?!" she shouted back, one of her blades drawn so he could use the metal as a mirror.

Frowning, he snatched it away and looked, blinking when he saw she was right. His eyes were brown. "I-I don't know," he muttered, but then tossed the weapon to the side. "But that does not explain why you're here."

"Something is wrong with you Cal," she explained, "Your attitude, your eyes…something isn't right."

"I'm fine. It's you that has the problem," he growled, getting in her face. "You think you're so important? Well, you're not!"

"You once told me…I was the most important person in the world to you," she whispered back, tears in her eyes. "Y-you said…"

"I know what I said," he huffed, "And I lied."

Staring into his eyes, Rayla took a chance. "It's almost night. If you don't want me here…then I will go. But before you do, know this… I won't make it out of the desert in time. I'm too far from an oasis… the soulfangs will have me the moment it gets dark." She stared up, pleading with him. "Is that what you want?"

He stared at her before frowning. "Yes."

"They will kill me."

"I know."

"And you still want me to go?"

"Yes."

Feeling condemned to her fate, Rayla stepped away. "Alright," she whispered, looking over the edge. "Alright, if… if that's what you want." She sighed, climbing over the edge. "Goodbye, Callum…you dumb lizard."

"Wait."

"Yes?" she asked, hopeful.

The hope grew when she saw his face and concern. He stared at her for a bit, then nodded. "Stay."

Climbing back over, she stepped over to him, reaching up and brushing his cheek gently. "Cal…what's going on?"

"Nyx is all I need," he sighed, "But…I don't want you to go. I…I need you, Rayla." He closed his eyes, tears starting to leak down his face. "I need you Rayla."

Leaning towards him, she wiped his tears away. "I'm not going anywhere," she whispered, chastely kissing his lips. As she pulled back, blushing, she placed her head on his shoulder. "It's going to be okay, I promise."

"Rayla," he whispered into her ear, slowly leaning back. "W-what happened?"

She looked up and saw his eyes were fully green once more. "Callum?"

"W-what happened? What's going on?" He looked around suddenly, frowning. "Last thing I remember, I was at the oasis, and it was dawn…it's the middle of the day now…how did I get here? Did…did something happen?"

Rayla blinked, then smiled, hugging him tight. "You're back," she almost sobbed into his shoulder.

His arms wrapped around her and held her tightly in return. "I went somewhere?"

"I…I think Nyx put a spell on you," she explained sadly. "You…you sent me away."

"What?!"

"Told me…I wasn't important…that…that you wanted me to leave."

Horrified by her words, Callum held her face with both hands, making her look at him. "Rayla, you are the most important person in the entire world. Whatever I said…was a lie. I would never, never send you away. In fact, I order you to never leave my side for the rest of your life."

Wiping her eyes, Rayla chuckled. "Callum…"

"Callum, what's she doing back here?" Nyx asked, having finally noticed the Moonshadow elf had returned.

With his back to her, the prince winked at Rayla, then turned to the Skywing. "She came back and asked me to let her stay."

"Well, tell her to go away again," Nyx scoffed as she walked over and linked her arm with Callum's, leaning on his shoulder. "You don't need her, right?"

"Because I have you." He smiled over at her.

Rayla could feel her blood boiling at the sight. "I…"

"Nyx, tell me… what do you like about me so much?" Callum teased, reaching over to brush her cheek. "Is it…my hair?"

"Well, it is very soft," she chuckled, running a hand back in it, and glancing at the furious Rayla.

"But it's not what you like most?" he questioned, only looking at Nyx. "Then…what is it?"

"Well…it's everything about you."

"Everything? Even my lack of fighting skills? My fear of boats? My weakness for jelly tarts?"

"I don't know what a jelly tart is," she chuckled, leaning towards his lips.

As she got closer, just before Rayla interrupted, Callum pulled his head away and held up his hand. "Oh, I know why you like me Nyx!" he exclaimed with a large smile. "It's because of my powers!" He smirked before she was suddenly zapped by a blast from his hand, sending her flying backwards and over the side of the ambler.

Covering her mouth in a laugh, Rayla hurried to see what had happened to her. She saw her lying on the ground in the sand, but then gasped. "Oh no…" She noticed several black snakes coming out of the sand, their eyes and bellies glowing green. "Soulfangs. She must have landed in a nest."

Callum looked down as well, watching as Nyx tried to fly back up, but the fall must have damaged one of her wings. "Oh, I didn't want to hurt her! I…I just wanted to teach her a lesson." He frowned, then stood on the edge. "We need to help her."

Rayla held his arm, then shook her head. "You stay here…I'll get her," she huffed, grabbing a rope from the side and tossing it over the edge. She repelled down to the sand and slid down the dune. Her blades at the ready, she took stance near the other elf, slicing and slashing each snake, decapitating them as she made her way over. "Stay right behind me," she told Nyx, eyes on the serpents.

Carefully, the pair made their way back to the rope, Rayla killing any of the fangs that tried to bite them. Once at the rope, Callum helped pull them back aboard, and the fangs gave up, retreating back under the ground.

Once safe, the pair took a moment to get their breath back, the action causing an adrenaline rush. As Rayla recovered, she stood and put her blades away, looking at the dragon beside her.

"You alright? They didn't bite you?" he asked with a frown.

"No Cal, I'm fine… but the next time you want to zap someone over the edge into a dangerous desert, give me a bit of warning."

He smiled, hugging her close. "Promise."

As the pair embraced, Nyx finally stood. "I… I don't understand, why did you save me? Even after I tricked you?" She smiled at the prince, moving over and putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's because I'm charming, right? Despite it all, you can't help but like me?"

Callum growled, his hand crackling with lightning once more. "Do you want to get zapped again?"

Quickly, she took her hands off him and shuffled a few steps back. "Sorry! I…I was just messing."

"I never wanted you to go over the edge," he confessed. "But what did you do to me?"

She looked away and scratched the back of her neck. "I…may have blown some clafel dust into your face?"

"You would use clafel dust on a member of the royal family?!" Rayla questioned, sounding appalled.

Nyx shrugged. "Hey, what can I say, he's cute. Fancied my chances." She looked at the furious pair, then coughed. "Well…thanks for saving me."

"Get us across the desert before night and I will forgive you." The prince sighed, looking over at the sun as it began to set.

"We won't make it all the way before sunset, but I know the way to another oasis for the night."

"Then get us there," he growled, not in the mood for her.

Quickly, Nyx nodded and hurried to Amble's head, directing them to their destination. As she left, Callum sighed and sat against the harness. "Is being a prince always going to be this hard?"

"Nar," Rayla chuckled as she sat beside him, "It's gonna be much harder."

He opened one eye at her. "Seriously?"

"I wouldn't know, but you know I'll be there to help. You'll be fine."

He closed his eyes once more and moved his head to her shoulder. "You know, we could always run away together. Forget about everything and just…disappear."

"Oh?" she sighed, reaching behind his head so she could scratch his ear. "You want to do that?"

"Right now? Yeah. I could become an artist. People would travel for miles to see my work. And you…you could be a teacher."

"Teacher?" She scoffed at the idea. "Me? Yeah right."

"Why not? You'd be a great teacher. You're understanding, compassionate…and fierce. Look at all the things you taught me. You would be an amazing teacher."

Thinking honestly about the idea, the elf sighed. "Perhaps I would."

"I know you would," he mumbled, then looked up at the sky. "But…we can't. After all, if I don't get home soon, Xadia may end up going to war."

* * *

**SL: Well…shall I wait for you to stop screaming over the kiss?**

**RK: Man, even in this AU, Nyx is still a pain. XD**


	25. Chapter 22 – Variants

#  **Chapter 22 – Variants **

The sombre words caused them both to sit in silence for a while before hearing Nyx above them. "Ah! There it is! The second oasis! Also known as the Trelang Oasis, largest in the whole Midnight Desert! And it looks like we have company."

Hurrying to see what she meant, Rayla and Callum soon spotted another mass of trees and water behind a barrier, but there was also a collection of tents and a massive bonfire in the center. Even from the distance, they could see people walking about.

Holding her hand up to shield her eyes from the setting sun, Nyx smiled. "Ah! It's Ginten and his clan!" she laughed, waving her arm above her head as they approached. "HEY! Ginten! Good to see you again!"

One of the figures by the fire waved back before spreading a pair of wings and flying up to greet the sky elf, landing on the saddle with her. "Nyx the minx! Long time no see!" he laughed, grabbing her in a hug so tight she was lifted off the ground. "How are you doing?"

"Oh same old, same old."

"So causing trouble?" the other chuckled, punching her arm before noticing the passengers with her. "Ah! You have guests! How rude of me," he said, then flew down to them. "Greetings, I'm Ginten." He introduced himself, and held out his hand.

"Rayla."

"Callum." The pair introduced themselves in turn, shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you both."

Callum tried not to frown as he looked over the man. He had draconic wings like himself, but his ears were far pointier than his own, almost like Rayla's. The scales around his eyes were fainter, more like large freckles than anything. He had a long bushy brown beard, but his hair was tied back neatly in a plait that went halfway down his back. It was pulled around his four, short, dark-red horns. His clothes were a sandy colour and bare around the arms, showing his large muscles as well as plenty of scars and tattoos.

Ginten smiled at them both, ignorant to Callum's confusion. "You know, you're just in time!" he stated, turning to Nyx. "You remember Antra? He finally asked Lax to marry him! And she said yes! The wedding is tonight. You should join us!"

"We wouldn't want to intrude."

Ginten frowned at the Moonshadow elf. "Please, you're stuck at the oasis till morning, and we aren't the quietest of neighbours. You might as well join us and enjoy the party rather than try to sleep miserably. Besides, the more the merrier as my wife says."

Callum smiled at the excitable dragon. "I don't mind. Rayla?"

She thought about it, then shrugged. "Oh alright."

"Excellent!" he cheered, turning to the edge of the saddle as the ambler laid herself down to rest. A few of the people came to see the strange creature and her passengers. "Hey! Minna! Better hide the good wine! Nyx is here!"

"Nyx?" came a voice from one of the people approaching. "I had a feeling it was her, and it's not the wine you need to worry about," she chuckled, smiling as she greeted the winged elf with a warm hug. "It's good to see you again dear."

"And you, Minna."

"Minna, meet Callum and Rayla. Nyx is transporting them across the desert, but I've invited them to the wedding."

"Well, the more the merrier," the woman said with a smile. Her hair was silvery-white like Rayla's, and she had pale eyes with markings down her cheeks. "Ah, another Moonshadow elf! So lovely to see someone else travelling. Welcome to our home!"

"Thank you for having us," Rayla said with a nod.

The elf then turned to Ginten. "I was just about to come looking for you. Antra is having a bit of a panic attack over the wedding. Would you mind going to speak with him?"

Ginten gave a dramatic sigh. "Ah, clan leader's duties are never done," he chuckled, then turned to the travellers. "I will be back shortly. Minna will show you around." He jogged off towards one of the tents, Nyx hurrying to follow him.

As he went, Callum tilted his head a little. "I…I'm confused."

"Over what dear?" Minna asked.

"Well…I don't know what type of dragon he is."

Minna chuckled lightly as she began to walk towards the tents. "Well, that's sweet of you to think he's a dragon, but Ginten isn't ashamed of being a Variant."

"A what?"

"A Variant," she repeated, her face twisting with confusion. "D-do you not know what a Variant is?"

"I-I'm sorry but…no, I don't."

"Well, a Variant is the term used for someone born of two different species. So, a dragon and a human, or an elf and a human, or like Ginten, a dragon and an elf. His mother was a Sunfire elf and his father was an earth dragon," she explained, looking over the people as they walked. "Most of the people in the clan are variants, be that second or third generation. We have a couple of first generation, like Ginten."

"Are you a Variant?"

"Oh no, I'm a full elf, but my children are second generation." She peered behind him suddenly. "Speaking of...Don't even think about it young man!" she snapped over Callum's shoulder.

Looking, the pair spotted a little boy with pale brown hair and two horns, frozen in a sneaking position at being caught. But as the pair looked, he giggled and ran off, his tail wagging back and forth as he did with his tiny wings flapping.

"Sorry, that's Wobit, my son. He has this nasty habit of pulling people's tails at the moment."

Pulling his tail close to his body, Callum smiled. "I'll keep my eye out for him," he chuckled, looking over the tents. "So, why are you here at the oasis, for the wedding?"

"Oh, we go from place to place, always on the move. The blessing and curse of being Variant."

"Why?"

Rayla turned to him with an embarrassed smile. "Callum, most dragons and elf clans…they don't have a good opinion of Variants."

"What do you mean?"

"We're outcasts," Minna sighed, "Shunned from place to place. We are sometimes tolerated for a short while, when there's heavy or dangerous work to do, but we are always told to move on eventually. I think the most we've stayed somewhere is…one lunar cycle, and that was when we helped with clearing a collapsed mine." She looked over at the oasis. "But places like this, that belong to no one? We can stay as long as we want…but supplies will run out, and we have to move on to get more."

Callum thought for a moment. "But why are you outcasts? Did…did you do something wrong?"

"Depends who you ask," Minna laughed as they walked. "I mean, I don't think falling in love is wrong, but my whole clan ghosted me when I told them. And Ginten's father was almost killed by his brother when they found out he'd taken an elf as a mate."

The dragon frowned. "I'm sorry. I still don't understand. You were kicked out…because you love Ginten?"

"Dragons and elves tend to believe that they should only…_interact_ with their own kind. It's hard enough when one type of elf or dragon wants to marry an elf or dragon of a different arcanum, but at least it's the same species. For an elf to marry a dragon… it's seen as…" The older woman sighed. "Impure."

Callum stopped. "That…that's not fair. People should be allowed to love whoever they want to, no matter the species. If you love someone, then that's all that matters. Nothing can change that. It's not restricted. It belongs to all living things."

"You're very brave to say that," Minna told him, smiling at the words, as did Rayla. "Now, since we are asking personal questions, would you mind if I ask one of you?"

"What is it?"

"What kind of dragon are you?" she asked, looking him up and down.

Glancing at Rayla to see if he should say, he bit his lip for a moment. "Umm…I'm a sky dragon."

Minna frowned at the words. "Wait…that doesn't make sense," she pondered. "You can't be much older than Leona, and she's fifteen…but fifteen years ago, the only sky dragons around here were the que-" She stopped, and blinked rapidly as she looked him over again, her mouth agape in shock.

At that point, Ginten came jogging back. "Spoke to Antra, he's calmed down a bit now. He'll be fine for tonight."

His wife turned to him, her face still frozen in shock. "Ginten, do you know who this is?" she managed, her voice an urgent whisper.

The leader looked at the dragon. "Umm, Callum? I introduced you a few minutes ago."

"No, do you know who he _is_?" she repeated, clutching his arm tight.

"Umm…he's…a traveller?" he guessed, confused.

The elf rolled her eyes. "I swear I married an idiot," she muttered. "Ginten, do you know _what_ he is?"

"He's a dragon," the man informed her clearly, glancing at Callum once more. "He's a-" His eyes widened suddenly as he worked out why his wife was acting so strange, turning to face her. "He's a-"

"Yes."

"That means-"

"Yes."

"So he's-"

"Yes!" Minna gasped, stepping back a little.

Ginten turned and pointed at the young visitor. "You're-"

"Yes," Callum laughed, amused by their interaction. "I'm a sky dragon. I'm Queen Zubeia's son and the Dragon Prince…and yes, I am alive."

The Variant quickly covered his mouth, then bowed formally to the ground, his wife following suit. "I'm so sorry…if I'd known I…I…I never would have…done _anything_! I'm so sorry if I offended you, your highness."

"Offend me?" Callum asked, blushing a little at their display. "Why would you have offended me?"

"Well…you're royalty," Ginten said, still bending over. "And we're…we're…" he trailed off.

Guessing the problem, Callum stepped over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kind people who have invited myself and my friend to your party." Eyes wide, Ginten stood back up, but Callum just shrugged. "Please, don't let my identity ruin that. I'm looking forward to it. I've never been to a wedding before."

"A-are you sure, your highness?" he asked, blushing at the kind words.

"I'm certain, and please, just call me Callum."

His warm smile returning, Ginten nodded. "Then please, come with me. We'll get you a drink."

For the next few minutes, Ginten and Minna showed the pair around the tents, introducing them to the thirty or so people in the clan. Some were full-blooded elves, and there were three dragons in the group, but as Minna had said, most were Variants. They all laughed and joked as they prepared for the evening's celebrations.

They were all amazed by the Prince, not because he was alive, but because he happily accepted them. The shock wore off when he helped move pillows from the tents to a space outside, and then carried barrels of mead from one spot to another. After a while, Callum found himself in a conversation with a couple of second generation Variants. Their horns were slightly larger than Ginten's, but they didn't look as physically strong as their leader.

They were laughing over a drink while Callum told them a story. "And that's when Rayla OWW!" he yelped, turning on the spot to see the same pale-haired boy from before gripping the tip of his tail and pulling hard on it.

Across the space, Minna turned and blushed. "Wobit! What have I told you about pulling tails?!" she shouted as she ran off to catch the trouble maker, but Wobit just ran off with a laugh, his own tail wagging happily at his game. Callum smirked as he watched her catch him and bring him back. "Say you're sorry," she told the child.

Wobit was still grinning as he looked down at Callum's feet. "'orry for pulling on ya tail."

"Oh, it's alright Wobit," the prince said, putting his drink to the side before turning and reaching out to touch the boy's forehead. The boy yelped, then looked at the older dragon who just grinned. "Don't mess with a sky dragon, Wobit," he teased, his fingers sparking a little.

The boy suddenly giggled and ran the other way, the dragon chasing after him, fingers sparkling as he went. The adults watching all laughed at the pair as Callum chased the child, eventually catching him and tickling him with several tiny shocks to make him laugh in hysterics. Once he finished, he bounced on the spot. "Again, again!"

"Me next, me next!" another child called, arms in the air.

"I wanna go too!" a third shouted out.

As the prince found himself suddenly surrounded by children wanting to play, across the space, Rayla chuckled at the picture. "He's good with kids. Who knew?"

Minna nodded as she sat with the other elf. "If there's one thing I've learnt since marrying Ginten, it's that dragons never stop surprising you."

"How long have you been married?"

"About thirty years now." She smiled. "Thirty amazing years. Oh, but don't get me wrong, not always _easy_ years. There are times I have to go to places alone because it's just not safe for him, or the kids."

Looking at her, Rayla nodded. "Do…do you regret it? Leaving, I mean?"

She shrugged slightly. "Sometimes. I have a brother…back home. I wonder how he is sometimes but…he won't acknowledge I exist. He didn't just ghost me from the village, he ghosted me from his life. If anyone asks, I'm dead to him." She looked up at the night sky above. "But then…I think about my new family, and my adventures. I never would have left the Shadowplain if it wasn't for Ginten. I never would have seen the world like I have."

"Have to agree there," Rayla muttered into her cup, sipping her drink. "Moonshadow elves, we don't…tend to travel unless we have to."

"I will tell you this honestly, Rayla. Moonshadow elves are the most stuck up, isolated elves there are in the six sources, and that's no lie," she scoffed. "There is a whole world out there, and we'd rather just stick to our little corners." She sighed, then cheered up a bit. "Well, not us."

"Nope!" Rayla agreed, raising her cup in a toast. "To the world."

"To the world." They tapped their cups together just as there was a gargled shriek on the other side followed by laughter. Callum was toppled over to the ground by four children grabbing his legs so he couldn't walk before they climbed over his back.

Rayla chuckled as she watched him try to crawl away with them still holding on. "Silly lizard," she sighed.

Minna looked at her, then tipped her head skyward. "So, how long have you known the prince?"

Looking to the sky, Rayla judged the moon. "Almost a month."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Feels longer, but we met on the full moon."

"Oh, how sweet."

Rayla sighed sadly. "Not really. I was sent to kill the king and prince of Katolis. Instead, I found him, chained to a wall and half dead."

The other elf looked back at the dragon as he playfully ran from the kids. "Half dead? He looks great for less than a month."

Looking at him, the guard realised she was right. Less than a month ago, Callum had no powers, no strength, and no hope remaining. Now, he was zapping kids playfully so their hair stood on end, chasing after them, laughing, just a few days travel from home.

"He's still hurting," she confessed. "But…wholly…he's getting better."

"He's lucky to have you." Minna nodded. "You're a good pair."

"Yeah…we are," she sighed, her voice taking on a sad undertone.

"Is everything alright Rayla? You look sad."

"No…I'm…I'm fine." She turned away, drinking to avoid conversation.

The other gave a small sigh. "Well, if you want to talk about it, you're in the right place." Minna stood up and went over to the children, getting them to leave the prince alone and ushering them off to bed. There were several complaints when told, but they soon waved goodnight to the adults and went into a single tent to sleep.

Once they were gone, Ginten stepped to the front of the fire and held up his arms. "Alright! Come on everyone! Time for the main event!"

The clan soon settled down and found somewhere to sit, watching as two people stepped out of one tent, and another three stepped out of another. The three were all female, two Variants and one elf. The elf appeared to be in a long, dark-green gown, and had a veil over her head.

The two males, both Variants on the other side, looked like everyone else, but one was standing tense and his nerves were clear. His friend practically dragged him towards the clan leader.

Holding a wide ribbon, Ginten held out his hand, taking the young Variant's hand and wrapping it around his wrist, then repeating it for the elf.

The audience all clapped once, then two stood. An elf and a Variant with slightly smaller horns. "Lex, we welcome you to our family."

The elf in green nodded, and smiled at the groom.

Slowly, each member of the clan stood, stepped over, and spoke to them before standing in a circle.

Towards the back, the visitors watched, and Callum smiled. "This is nice."

"Yeah. They look good together."

"Yeah," the dragon sighed, his tail wrapping around her waist while his head rested on her shoulder. "Rayla… I know I said it before but…I'm sorry for what I said when I was enchanted. You know I didn't mean it."

"I know," she sighed, reaching for his ear to scratch it.

Enjoying the ceremony _and _the attention, Callum sighed. "Rayla…how did you get me out of it?"

"Out of it?"

"The clafel dust. How did you break me out of its control?"

Glad he was leaning on her shoulder, she blushed slightly. "I-I-I slapped you," she lied. "Then I kinda punched you in the gut."

"Oh."

"Sorry…if it hurts."

"No, it's fine." He closed his eyes, sighing as he took a deep breath. "You smell nice tonight."

"Yeah? Minna gave me some perfume."

"It's nice," he repeated, leaning back and looking at her face. "Rayla, I…I wanted to tell you-"

"HUZZARH!" the Variants all shouted, throwing their arms in the air and throwing petals over the couple as they shared a tender kiss. Music started, and soon, it seemed like everyone was dancing in a circle around them.

Those who didn't dance started serving food or clapping along with the beat. One dance flowed into the next, the music never stopping as dancers stepped out and others joined in. Another song started, and it appeared to call for pairs as everyone found a partner, standing with hands raised and pressed together. A young Variant girl came over to the visitors with a big smile. "Come and dance with me?" she asked, looking at Rayla with a hand extended.

She smiled at the offer before taking her hand and hurrying to the dance, clapping when needed, jumping and laughing. She remained on her feet for at least two songs before stepping out to get a drink and cool down. Callum smiled as he passed her a glass. "Looks like you were having fun."

"Haven't danced like that in years," she laughed, downing her drink. "That's better," she sighed with relief, then refilled it from the table. "Would you like to dance?"

"I wouldn't know what to do. And besides, I'm happier just watching."

With a small nod, Rayla finished her second drink, her face still flushed from the energy. As the music continued, a pair of girls came over and grabbed Rayla, pulling her in for another dance. Watching with a smile, Callum found he couldn't take his eyes off her, the rhythm of the music almost matching his heartbeat.

"Ahem, umm, Callum?"

He tore his eyes from the dance to face Ginten who was stood beside him. "Ah, is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's fine. I just wanted to tell you, there's a tent over there, set up for you and Rayla when you get tired."

"Thank you. I will probably turn in soon. It's been…a long day," he sighed, thinking over the events.

"I can understand that. Will you join us for a dance before you do?"

"I'll have to politely decline. I'm not much of a dancer."

"I see," the clan leader said, then turned to watch the others. "Would you mind if I danced with her?" he asked, eyes still looking at the fire.

Following his gaze, Callum realised he was talking about Rayla. He kept silent for a while, then nodded. "If you want to. I don't mind."

Smiling, Ginten walked over to Rayla just as the song changed to a slightly slower one. The Variant bowed, and Rayla did the same, walking slowly in a circle with their hands pressed together, and staring at one another.

At the edge, Callum felt himself frown, unsure why. Ginten was much older than Rayla, and he was married. And Rayla was just having a moment of fun. There was no reason he should be feeling so irritated.

Just as Ginten placed a hand on her hip when she stumbled, the prince growled, storming over and pulling the Variant away from her. "Changed my mind," he huffed.

Ginten grinned and winked at him. "Took you long enough," he chuckled, then went off to find another dance partner.

Blinking, Callum turned on the spot to face Rayla, staring at her before smiling and holding out his hand as the dance began to repeat. Without a word, Rayla placed her hand in his, going back to the dance like nothing had changed. Callum wasn't as graceful as her, but he couldn't stop smiling. When the song began to slow, he moved towards her, pressing his brow to hers, coming to a complete standstill.

Eyes closing slowly, he let out a deep sigh, his hand holding her arm as she held his shoulders. The music dimmed to nothing behind him. The world just vanished, and time froze around them.

"Cal?"

Her voice called him back, and he opened his eyes to see her. "Sorry. I'm just…tired."

"Perhaps we should turn in for the night?"

He gave a small nod. "Ginten arranged a tent for us, over there," he said, taking her hand and leading the way. He pulled back the tent's curtain and looked around. Rayla stepped away from him when she noticed their bags were there. She went over and checked the contents. "Seems everything is still here."

"You thought they'd steal from us?"

"Not Ginten, Nyx."

"Ah."

The silence that filled the tent was thick before Callum coughed. "Rayla…I…I wanted to apologise."

"You don't need to keep apologising for what Nyx did to you."

"I know. I wanted to apologise for lying."

She turned to face him. "What? When did you lie?"

"When I said I didn't remember," he sighed. "I…I remember all of it."

"All of it?" Blushing and turning her head to the side, she began to mess with a lock of her hair. "All of it, all of it?"

"Yeah, all of it. I…I remember shouting at you, telling you those…foul lies…making you…" he released a shaky breath. "But I also remember…feeling so empty when you weren't there…the fear of losing you forever…I…I couldn't stand it. The idea of not seeing your face again…hearing you laugh, or tease me, calling me dumb lizard again? It…it was a nightmare worse than any I'd had before." He held her chin and hand, turning her head so they were looking at each other. "Rayla…I'm _so_ sorry for saying those things. I would _never_ make you leave me."

She smiled sadly, reaching up and stroking his cheek. "I know Cal. I don't know how I ever doubted you."

His eyes sparkled for a moment under her touch. "Rayla…I also know…you lied."

"W-what?"

"You didn't slap me out of the clafel dust's grasp."

She tensed at the words, blushing, and turning her eyes away once more. "Oh…that."

"Yeah," he whispered, leaning towards her. "That."

Rayla's eyes quickly turned back as he got closer, the dragon hesitating as she did, and for a moment, she stared into his eyes. She glanced at his lips and back to his eyes, cheeks an even brighter pink.

The corner of his mouth twitched with a smile, and he moved in to close the gap between them, his lips pressing to hers. Eyes instantly closing, both just stood and savored, but then he leant back a little. "Wow," he breathed gently, hovering close to her face.

"Yeah," was the returned word, said just as softly. Her head moved slightly as her arms wrapped around his neck. "Wow."

"Rayla I-" He was cut off as she moved forward, kissing him again, her hand moving to his hair. A little moan came from his throat as her hand grazed his horns, his hands resting comfortably around her waist. He pressed into her, not baring to part for a moment.

The kiss started slow, but was quickly becoming faster, their grasps pulling at each other. Eventually, Rayla had to pull away, breathing like she'd run across the country. Callum wasn't much better, licking his lips to get a lingering taste of her. Without saying a word, he just brushed some hair behind her ear and sighed. His hand moved to hold hers tight, and he pulled her over to one of the collections of blankets, sitting down, and encouraging her to do the same.

Sitting, Rayla leant her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as his thumb brushed against the back of her hand.

"I have feelings for you Rayla."

Her eyes snapped open, pulling back from his shoulder as her heart skipped a beat. "What?"

He smiled fondly at her. "I…I have feelings for you...strong ones."

Feeling like her heart was going to leap out of her chest, the elf swallowed. "Y-you do?"

"I have for a while. I just…never realised." He looked away, chuckling dryly. "Guess _I am_ a dumb lizard not to realise."

Frozen in place for a moment, the elf finally moved, pulling herself up and cupping his cheek. She turned his head to face her before leaning in to kiss him again. Despite her previous actions, Callum was surprised, but then smiled, reaching out and pulling her closer. She moaned against him, shifting closer herself.

His hands came up to hold her, but he forgot his need for balance. So, he ended up falling backwards under her pressure, lying on his back. But Rayla moved along with him and lay on top, her mouth still pressing against his. Slowly, she pulled away and stared at him for a bit. "I have strong feelings for you too Cal."

It was his turn to blush as he looked up at her. He smiled, then reached up, caressing her cheek. She returned the smile, taking his hand and kissing his palm. "It's late. We should get some sleep."

Nodding, Callum shifted over on the soft blankets to make room for her, watching as she lay down without a single hesitation, resting on her side so she faced him. Glad she was staying close, Callum grabbed another blanket and covered them both. He shifted to his side so he could watch her, then leant over and pecked her lips. "Night," he whispered.

"Night," she whispered back, smiling as she got comfortable and closed her eyes.

~#~

Minna stared hard at her husband who was using a short dagger to carve something out of wood, his eyes only on his work.

"You keep staring at me like that and Wobit is going to get another brother or sister," he chuckled with a big smile.

His wife however just huffed. "I know you Ginten. I know that look on your face. You're plotting." She poked him once in the side with a finger. "You're planning something and I want to know what."

The Variant smiled, holding the hand that had poked him, and kissed the back of it. "Wrong my dear."

"Wrong?"

"I'm not plotting or planning anything," he explained, going back to his carving. "My plan has already happened."

"What in Xadia does that mean?"

"Oh, I'm just up to my old tricks."

"Old tricks?" She frowned at him. "You mean matchmaking? Oh Ginten, who's your poor victim this time?"

Ginten blew on his carving, removing a lot of the chippings he had created. His wife frowned as she brushed some off her dress, waiting for an answer, but as he smiled and carried on, it became clear there wasn't going to be an answer. So, she thought, trying to work it out.

Her eyes widened. "Oh no…not the prince."

Her husband nodded once. "Yep, saw all the signs."

"You played matchmaker with the Dragon Prince of Xadia?!" she hissed with a hint of anger.

"Come on Minna. You saw him. His tail barely left her alone! As soon as she was in reach it was around her." He shrugged, looking at his carving for a bit. "Wasn't touching her, but it was as close as. And the way he held her hand, and rested his head on her shoulder?" He snorted a laugh as he grinned. "And don't get me started on Rayla. My word, I haven't seen a more obvious love-struck elf since…you my dear."

That made her blush a little. "Well…even so, you shouldn't have pushed him."

"Minna, do you really think I would 'push' them? No, I just made the prince see what was before him. I simply danced with Rayla."

His wife sighed and nodded. "Setting off his possessive streak."

"Full-bloods are very protective of what is theirs. I just helped him realise Rayla was his," he explained, blowing on the wood once more. "They would have been dancing around each other for years if I hadn't."

Smiling slightly, his wife leant over and kissed his lips. "I can't decide if I love or hate your meddling."

Grinning, the clan leader put down the wood and grabbed her, kissing her hard on the lips. "Well, I love you."

Pulling back with a big smile, she stood, and turned to leave their tent, looking around at the remains of last night's party. It would take a while to clean it all up, but as she headed to the oasis to wash, she spotted a pair of feathered wings by the water, the owner with her head submerged.

Walking over, she reached out for her shoulder. "Nyx?"

Gasping, the Skywing pulled her head from the water, her hair soaked over her face. Wiping it back, she covered her eyes. "My head..."

"You were certainly knocking them back last night," the older elf chuckled, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small vial. "Here, drink this. It will help with the hangover."

"Thanks Minna, you're the best," she groaned before downing the liquid.

"If I'm the best, then you will return the stuff you stole last night." Nyx looked at her sideways as she continued to drink, but Minna just shook her head. "Don't give me that look. I've known you for _too_ long, and I have a toddler." She held out her hand, palm up. "Hand them over."

Pouting, Nyx tipped her head a little and reached into her pocket to pull out a collection of small jewels, some bits of rope, and a couple of small daggers. Shaking her head, Minna sighed as she put them in her own pocket. "Anything sparkling with you."

"Hey, what can I say?" She shrugged casually. "I'm predictable."

"_Too_ predictable," the other sighed. "You going to be alright getting the prince home?"

"I'm only taking them to the edge of the desert. They're not really friendly with me at Storm Spire."

"Well, when you're done, you know you're always welcome here." Minna smiled and nudged her shoulder. "Us outcasts have to stick together."

"Thanks Minna," she said, passing the empty bottle back. "Ah! There's my precious cargo now!"

Callum rolled his eyes as he approached. "If you say so Nyx. How long before we can leave?"

"It won't take us long to get to the edge from here. About…two hours as the ambler goes."

"You're planning to leave so soon?" Minna asked as she stood up and helped a slightly hung over Nyx to her feet.

"I'm sorry Minna, but I need to get home. Apparently, my mother is very ill. I may be the only one who can help her. So, we need to leave as soon as we can. Nyx, get Amble ready please."

"As you wish," she said, then rubbed her temple. "Just…give me a moment to get my head back," the elf groaned, sitting back down.

Minna smiled and turned to the others. "My medicine will kick in soon for her. And we'll find some of the…sober members of the clan to help get you ready."

"I wish I could stay longer with you. You're the first clan I've met, and I'd love to learn more about you all."

"We would be honoured to teach you sire," Minna said with a smile. "But I understand, you need to go home. I will let Ginten know. I'm sure he will want to see you off." She nodded politely, then turned to walk away, but not before she looked down and noticed the dragon's tail now loosely holding Rayla's ankle.

With a mental curse at her husband, she went to find him, and in less than an hour, the ambler was ready, as were several creatures Ginten had introduced as 'Sandwalkers'. They were two-legged creatures with matted, white fur, and didn't mind the heat of the desert due to their connection to the Sun Primal. Since Nyx was still not completely recovered from her hangover, Ginten and three other Variants were coming to escort them.

Each one was armed with a long spear on their back, and walked next to the ambler. However, they were clearly still in a good mood from the party before, singing loudly as they went.

A few hours passed before the black sand gave way to the green of grass and trees. As Amble set them down, the Variants dismounted and gathered. "Storm Spire is about a day and a half ride that way," Ginten said, pointing off in one direction. "I would come with you, but I need to get back to the clan before dark."

"Ginten, thank you for your help," Callum said, holding out his hand.

While still hesitant, Ginten did shake it in return. "I'm glad we could help your highness. Good fortune on your way home." He turned to the Skywing. "Nyx?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't you have something to say?"

She swallowed. "Umm…" She looked at the prince. "Thanks for…saving my life and…not killing me when I tricked you."

"And?" Ginten prompted, arms folded across his chest.

"And…umm…yeah…here's your necklace back," she confessed, passing over the Moon Opal. "Sorry, sparkly things...can't help myself."

Callum growled audibly as he snatched it back and carefully returned it to Rayla. "Nyx, if I never see you again, I will be a very lucky dragon."

"So…no tip?"

"NYX!" Callum, Rayla, Ginten, and the other Variants all shouted in unison.

* * *

**SL: And…now screaming begins. Okay, you done? So, beside the ** _ **obvious ** _ **thing that happened in this chapter, the other big thing is our own, original species, known as Variants, a being born of two different species. **

**Now, there are several rules for Variants:**

**1 - They can't shift forms. Unlike a dragon, who can change from a large draconic form to a human/elf or hybrid, Variants are stuck however they are born, which tends to be a hybrid form.**

**2 - They are very strong. They are often 'hired' as workers, but never allowed to stay long since they are outcasts. There are about 5 clans of Variants around Xadia, but Ginten has the largest**

**3 - The horns of a Variant are smaller depending on the generation; 1st gens have quite small horns, 2nd have slightly larger, and so on. **

**4 - 1st gen Variants are quite rare. It's more common to meet second or third gen. However, Ginten is a 1st gen. After a 4th gen, as long as all previous 'additions' to the bloodline are the same species, the child is no longer considered 'Variant'**

**5 - They all have dragon/snake eyes, no matter what gen they are.**

**6 - They're unable to become mages or harness magic. They have a link to an Arcanum, but cannot do magic beyond the 'natural' power. Aka – A Moonshadow Variant will still go 'invisible' on a full moon, but can not do moon magic**

**7 - There is a difference between a Variant and a Halfling. A Halfling is a child of two creatures of the same species, but of different Arcanums. A Variant is the child of two creatures of different species. It is possible to have Halfling Variants. Also, while Halflings are often frowned upon, they are accepted by their clans, while Variants are wildly dismissed and shunned.**

**But more important than all that; OMG! Rayla and Callum kissed and confessed and AAAHHHH! I wrote this and I can't get over how CUTE IT IS! **

**RK: Pfft, Story's quite excited to say the least. But I have to admit, 'bout time, am I right? XD **

**But now, we get to see that inter-species relationships ** _ **are possible** _ **. Heavily looked down upon? Yes. However, it's proven plausible for them to love one another, have families, and be happy. ^-^**


	26. Chapter 23 - Home

#  **Chapter 23 - Home**

For Ezran, things were going from bad to worse. First, Kasef wanted to attack Xadia…and then he threatened to attack Katolis if he didn’t join the fight. So many people would be killed in a pointless war, and he wanted to stop the fighting. He’d thought about it for hours, trying to find a way to stop the bloodshed.

And his only option, to spare them, was to give up his crown. 

After making sure Bait would be well taken care of, he’d given the order that anyone who didn’t want to fight was allowed to go home without any consequences.

Then, he’d been escorted to the very cell Viren had been held in, and their bonds were exchanged. He could still remember the look on the mage’s face.

“I’m so sorry it’s come to this,” he’d said, almost sincere.

“No, you’re not.”

He’d given him a small smirk. “No, I’m not.”

“But don’t worry Viren,” Ezran called back, “You  _ will be _ . My brother will see to it.”

Viren had sneered at him, but said nothing, leaving the cell. He’d been left alone in the chamber ever since, but then, he heard a croak from the grate above. Looking up, he noticed a familiar face. “Hey!” he called up to Bait’s grumpy face. “I was hoping you’d be my first visitor. I wish I could come up there with you, but…” He held up his chained hands.

Bait croaked before disappearing from view, and suddenly, it began to rain jelly tarts through the hole in the ceiling. The glow toad himself pushed through and flopped down into the cell. With food and a friend, Ezran smiled, settling back against the wall. “See? This isn’t so bad.” His smile soon faded to a frown, and he looked down at his wrist. “I’m sorry Callum…I tried.”

Bait croaked sympathetically, then gently licked the band. They munched their way through the tarts, watching the sun rise above the grate. He hoped Callum and Rayla were safe and far enough ahead to stop the battle.

With only a few tarts left, Bait burped, bringing him out of his moping. Ez gave the toad's belly a good rub and laughed, but he soon heard someone approaching. “Someone’s coming,” he realised, turning to the toad. “You need to hide. No glowing,” he told him, hiding the creature behind his back. 

The cell door opened and a familiar face stepped in, looking slightly distressed. “Hey Ez.” 

“Soren? What are you doing here?”

“Getting you out of here,” he explained, pulling a key from his pocket. “Dad’s been crowned king, and I know him…he’s going to…  _ tie off loose ends _ . So you need to get out of Katolis.”

“How?”

“I have a plan,” he said, peeking out around the cell to make sure no one was near. “You need to get back to Scales and warn him.”

The boy nodded in agreement as they walked out and made their way through the secret tunnels below the palace. “Thank you Soren.”

“Ezran, I know I did some bad things…but you and Callum gave me a chance. I should be thanking you for that.” They walked in silence for a bit before the guard sighed. “Your dad was a good king. As a Crown Guard, it was my job to make sure that nothing happened to him, no matter what. So, when the Moonshadow elves came, I did everything I could to protect him...but it wasn’t enough. I just don’t want to fail you too.”

With a smile, the young boy nodded. “We will make everything right again, promise.”

“Well… the first thing we need to do is get you out of here. Come on, follow me.”

After walking down the tunnels for a while, the pair came to an opening that led up to the well. They climbed out, and Soren quickly smuggled the former king into a hay bale to cross the main bridge. The guard failed at acting inconspicuous, shouting loudly about hungry horses as he went. There was a close call when a soldier spotted Bait’s glow, but Soren managed to bluff it off.

Once they were far enough away from the bridge, Ezran had a sudden déjà vu as he found himself in the same space they had slept during their first night after their escape. The boulder Rayla had sat on all night was the same as he’d last seen it. Had it really been only a few weeks since that night?

As Soren put the cart down, he nodded to the bushes. “Come on out everybody.”

Ezran smiled as he climbed out and saw Corvus, Opeli, and baker Barius climbing out of the bushes. “Wow! I can’t believe you all worked together to save me.”

“Credit where credit’s due.” Corvus smiled. “Soren was the mastermind.”

“ _ Mastermind _ . I like it,” Soren said thoughtfully. “That can be my new nickname. It even rhymes.  _ Sor-ine the Mastermind. _ ”

“That does not rhyme,” the hunter reminded him with a shake of his head. “And I think ‘Dumb Lump’ is a better nickname for you.”

Smiling at the reminder, Soren turned to Ez. “I’m going to go back, see if I can help disrupt things…buy you some time. These guys will take you to the rendezvous point.”

“Thanks Soren.” The young boy hugged him tight. “You’re the best Crown Guard a king could ask for.”

The older boy nodded and hugged him back. “Yeah…and tell Scales...I’m on his side.”

With that said, he turned and pulled the cart of hay the way he’d come. 

Corvus sighed. “I’ve got to say Ezran, things are not looking good.”

“Viren has already called for the troops,” Opeli explained. “He will have to obey your order, to let any who doesn’t want to fight go but…I don’t think there’s many who will want to take the option. There will still be a large force marching on Xadia.”

Ezran sighed. “Well…if Katolis can’t stop the war…then it will have to be Xadia that makes the first move.”

“Come, you will have to get there quickly.” Corvus nodded, then led the way through the bushes and into the trees. “We have a ride waiting for you.”

“Pyrrah?”

“I wish,” he sighed. “But she’s vanished…as have all the other dragons in the west.”

“Callum  _ did  _ summon them. So…who’s my ride?”

At that moment, a screech filled the air. They looked up as a bright flash of light shone and a blue creature came flying towards them. “Phoe-Phoe!” Ez laughed as the bird came down and landed before them, the guardian of the Moon Nexus on her back. 

Lujanne smiled as she saw the young boy. “Hello again Ezran. I must admit, I was surprised to receive a message from Katolis,” she said, looking at the letter in her hands. “It’s not signed, but I assume it’s from the strapping young idiot, since it starts with, _ Dear Moon Lady. _ ”

“In his defence, Lujanne is kinda hard to spell,” Corvus chuckled lightly at her. 

The mage gave him a look, but then nodded. “But I am happy to help.”

Guessing that was his cue, Ezran turned to the woman beside him. “Goodbye, Opeli,” he said calmly, “Thank you for believing in me.”

“I serve the true king,” she replied with a bow.

He turned to the other. “Corvus, I’m sorry I let you down as king. It only took me a few days to mess everything up.”

“Are you kidding?” the tracker chuckled, kneeling in front of him. “In your first few days as king, you showed more courage, strength, and grace than most leaders show in a lifetime.” He smiled, bowing himself.

Before he could say anything else, Barius grabbed him and Bait from behind in a tight hug. Bait was turning grey, then purple from the lack of air. “Goodbye, Ezran. Goodbye, Bait.”

After the goodbyes, Lujanne stepped forward. “Time to go, Ezran. Phoe-Phoe will be strongest traveling at night.”

Nodding, the boy walked over to the phoenix and climbed onto her back. “What about you guys?”

“We plan on going to Duren and asking Queen Aanya for help. Don’t worry about us,” Opeli told him with a smile.

With that said, Ezran took to the sky on the back of the bird once more. It was a long journey, and Ez looked down over the land he had already traversed twice on his way to and from the border. He spotted the lodge, the towns they had passed through, and as the sun began to rise, they passed over the Cursed Caldera. Passing over the nexus seemed to give the phoenix a boost, and she hurried onward. 

It was almost mid-afternoon when Ezran saw a golden river below them and gasped in happiness. “I can’t believe it!” he called, picking up Bait in his arms. “This is the moment I’ve dreamed of my whole life! We’re going into Xadia! Phoe-Phoe, you did it! You got us here!” He paused for a moment, then blinked, looking at her drooping head and heavy breathing. “Phoe-Phoe? What’s wrong?”

The moon phoenix slowly came down to land on the other side of the lava river, surrounded by lush trees and unusual wildlife. Once they landed, the bird fell forward, panting hard as she lay still. 

Climbing down, Ezran hugged her face warmly. “Phoe-Phoe! You’re exhausted and sick. You got us to Xadia. We can find them on our own now.” He stepped back and nodded to her. “You need to go home so you can rest and get better. I know Lujanne told you to bring me all the way, but you have to promise me you’ll be okay.” 

He stroked her face gently, and she cooed to him, closing her eyes. Ezran sighed and glanced at Bait sitting on her back. “She says she has to see this through.”

Slowly, she leant forward and allowed him to mount before she took to the sky again, keeping slightly lower than before, but continuing to press on.

~#~

With the Moonstrider and Shadowpaw walking through the trees, it was a slow trek on the other side of the desert. Rayla smiled happily, and Callum barely held his own back. They stopped and rested when needed, Callum often holding Rayla’s hand and pulling her into him for a kiss. 

She didn’t complain. Sometimes, she’d start it.

They spent one more night in the forest, snuggling into each other. They didn’t even need a blanket with Callum’s natural warmth, but the next morning, they came out of the forest into a large, open tundra. Small hillocks peppered the space while on the far side, was a large, thin mountain that reached into the clouds.

Between them and the mountain however, was something odd. At first, Callum thought it was another, smaller mountain, but as they got closer, he realised it was shaped.

Finally, they rode alongside it, and he realised it was a statue of a dragon, quite similar to Sol Regem. The shape was half eroded away by time, distorting some of the finer features, but it left enough to see what it was meant to be. 

Rayla came to a stop and dismounted beside it, her smile gone as she reached down and plucked a small flower from the ground. She walked over to a flattened, open space that had a collection of ribbons, crystals, and other tokens placed near the base of the dragon. 

Callum stared, his heart throbbing and his eyes building with tears. “That’s…that’s not a statue…is it?” he whispered, unable to take his eyes off it.

He looked up at the huge, stone figure towering above, broken and covered with moss. It wasn’t a statue of a dragon, but the body of one, frozen still for the rest of eternity.

“No…it’s-it’s not a statue,” Rayla whispered, standing and placing her hand gently on his shoulder. She gave it a little squeeze, hoping to provide a sense of comfort. She knew exactly who this was.

Walking up to the shrine, Callum passed it, then placed a hand on the broken leg rear of the beast. He looked around, and assumed the other boulders strewn about were the remains of what used to be his foot and wing. 

A faint memory began to return to him. His little hybrid self, curled up cosily in the lap of this dragon, climbing up his neck, and pulling on his fur. He remembered the warmth, hearing him laugh and roll over, playing dead to his son’s games. He remembered them sitting by a fireplace, him in his arms, hugged tight and feeling the strength in his breaths, of his dad’s hands stroking his hair as he drifted off to sleep.

Tears began to roll down his cheeks as he nuzzled his face against the stone. His talons scratched at the surface, as if by some miracle, the dragon would come to life once again. 

“D-Dad…Dad, it’s me, Cadonumis…I’m…I’m home…see?” he sobbed to the statue, curling up at its foot.

Rayla watched the heart breaking sight. Normally, she was glad when he got his memories back, but not this time. A part of her wished he’d never remember this. After giving him a moment to grieve, she knelt beside him. “Callum?” 

Moving his wing, his teary eyes met the elf’s soft, loving gaze. “Over and over…Viren…Viren would describe how he killed him… my father…over and over…he would tell me about the…snapping of his limbs…his roars of pain and the way he reached out for…the Spire…” He closed his eyes and screwed his face up. “I didn’t know what he meant. I-I’d forgotten it…forgot him. But now that I see it…I-I know it’s true. He…he died so painfully, Rayla. He-he died trying to get back to me. He-he-he-he…”

Callum gasped once he felt himself being pulled into a tight embrace. Rayla held him close, rubbing between his wings in a soothing manner. “It’s okay Callum…” she whispered gently into his ear, burying her face into the crook of his neck as her own tears threatened to fall. “I know it’s painful…but…I’m here for you. I’m always here for you. So you let it out, okay? You just let it out.”

The dragon held the elf close and wrapped his tail protectively around her. His shoulders shook while he cried, and the elf could only hold him as he unleashed a flood of agony. For a few minutes, the pair just sat, but then Callum pushed back, wiping his eyes. “S-sitting here crying isn’t going…to do anyone any good,” he said, his voice weak and sore from the sobs. 

Rayla admired his determination and nodded slightly. “Alright, let’s get going. We should make it to the foot of the mountain by sunset.”

Standing, the dragon looked up at his father’s broken remains. “Let’s go...” He started heading for the Moonstrider, but then turned when he heard a screech from above. “That-that sounded like…”

His hunch turned out to be correct as the blue phoenix came down from the sun’s glare and landed before them. The creature then lowered her head and revealed the passenger. 

Callum’s sadness vanished instantly as he ran towards them. “Ezran!” he called, laughing and almost knocking him over in a hug. “Ezran! It’s you!”

Ez laughed as well, hugging him tight. “Callum! I’m so glad we found you! I’ve been so worried about you.” He looked over the dragon’s shoulder as Rayla joined them in the hug. “Rayla! I’ve missed you so much!”

“Ezran, what are you doing here?” she asked as they parted and looked at each other. 

The young boy smiled. “Let’s just say that being king isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

“Are you okay?” The dragon suddenly snarled, looking him over. “Are you hurt? I saw the bond with fear and anger but…I wasn’t sure what the cause could be.”

“I’m fine Callum,” he chuckled, pushing his tail away as it tried to wrap around him. “I’m safe now.”

Suddenly, behind them, the phoenix collapsed, and with Ezran and the prince around her to offer some comfort, she soon passed in their arms. She faded into blue flames and a pile of silvery dust, leaving a single glowing feather in the human’s hands.

Ezran chuckled as he held it tight. “She’s going to be okay. She’s a Moon Phoenix! When the time is right, she’ll be reborn!”

“Well, you take care of her Ezran.” Callum smiled, rubbing his shoulder. “And I’m glad to see you’re okay.”

The boy looked up at him, then blinked. “Callum? Are you okay? Y-you look like you’ve been crying.”

The teen smiled sadly and looked over to the statue. “This…this is my father,” he said softly. “This is the Dragon King, Avizandum.”

Ezran gasped at the words. “Oh...”

“Ez?”

He looked down to the ground. “I…I never told you before Callum… I…I didn’t want to. But…the thing is…” He frowned, glancing at the dragon. “Your dad…he…he killed my mom.”

“What?”

“It was a long time ago…I’d only just been born,” he sniffed. “A few years later, my father attacked yours…in revenge for her death and…and did this.”

Callum took a moment, then hugged his brother close. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too.”

“But Ezran, that’s in the past,” he said with a faint smile. “Humans and Xadians have been at war for thousands of years. The actions of our fathers…they may have shaped us, started us on our paths, but their actions don’t control us. We’re in control of our own fate.” He held out his hand and looked at the band on both their wrists. “You and I? We’re the ones who are going to change everything.” His gaze moved to the tall mountain beside them. “And to do that…we have to get up there.”

~#~

A few hundred miles away, the human army was setting up camp and awaiting orders. They weren’t heading straight for the lair of the Dragon Queen, but instead, for a grand city belonging to the Sunfire elves. No one was sure why, but Soren had a feeling of dread building up in his chest. Whatever the reason, it wasn’t good.

Even worse, his father said he’d be going to the Sunfire elves alone. 

As he walked around the camp, trying to work out what the plan was, he spotted his father heading into his own tent. The mage glanced around as if he were worried about being followed.

Soren eventually walked over himself and knelt by the entrance, watching as Viren pulled a chain from under his clothes and carefully unlocked a chest sitting on the table. 

He watched in horror as his father pulled a vial out, then used an odd device to inject the substance into his arm. The look of exhaustion on his face instantly vanished, and when he turned to leave, he looked powerful. 

The Crown Guard had no idea what could cause such a change, but he wanted to find out. Carefully, he made his way over to the chest. 

It was locked once more, but with a small shimmy of his dagger, he cracked it open. Inside were five vials of red liquid, each one marked with a date. Soren has a nasty feeling he knew what these were, and it made him sick.

Callum had told him about his father taking his blood, but he had never known why. Now Soren knew. He used it to boost his own power, injecting it into his body. “Not anymore,” he whispered, knocking the open chest onto the floor and ensuring each vial was broken before casually walking out of the tent.

~#~

Camping at the base of the mountain for the night, the reformed group began to trek up the spire at first light, but not before they released the Moonstrider and Shadowpaw to be on their way. They both appeared reluctant to leave, but Callum explained it was too dangerous for them to join and that they had done a good job getting them there. They gave the elf and dragon one final nuzzle, then ran off together the way they came.

Halfway up the mountain, Rayla slowed and began to hang back, breathing heavily as they made their way up. At the front, Callum was feeling oddly good again, just like at the Moon Nexus. “Hey, Rayla, is the Storm Spire a nexus?” he asked, then turned back to see her, holding her arms and leaning on the wall. “Rayla?”

“Yeah?” She looked up at him with a slight uncertainty in her eyes. “What is it Callum?”

“I was asking if the Storm Spire is a nexus?” he repeated, frowning at her. “Rayla, what’s wrong? You look…worried?” He took hold of her hand. “What is it? What’s on your mind?”

She looked at her hand in his, his touch warm against the cool air, and the feeling of his talons nice against her skin. She liked his touch. It felt nice to have him with her. 

“Rayla?”

She blinked, looking at him. “Sorry, spaced out a bit.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked again, nuzzling her cheek gently. “Tell me...Please?”

She smiled, remembering the feeling. “It’s…it’s just...you and me.”

“What about us?”

“Well…I…I don’t think…” She sighed. “I don’t think we should tell anyone.”

He pulled back and tilted his head. “Why?”

“It’s just…” She shook her head and forced a smile, walking on up the stairs. “It’s nothing.”

The dragon didn’t look convinced as he followed her. “Rayla…something is on your mind. What don’t you want to tell me?” 

She looked back at him. “Callum…we’re…different. I don’t think we should tell anyone we are…whatever we are.”

“Rayla,” he sighed, hurrying up the few steps parting them and holding both of her hands. “Rayla, please, tell me the truth; are you really worried about what people will think of our relationship?”

She blushed suddenly. “W-we’re in a relationship?”

“Well…” He blushed deeper, glancing away. “I-I think we are.”

“Well…I wouldn’t mind, but…you’re an Archdragon…and I’m…just an elf?”

“So?” He shrugged. “We know dragon-elf relationships work. We spent almost two days with the Variants.”

“And you heard how they’re shunned from place to place, never welcomed. That would be us.”

He smiled and leant towards her, hovering over her lips. “No, it won’t,” he whispered, then kissed her firmly. “Because I won’t let it.”

“Callum, you are the future king of Xadia. You have responsibilities and duties and…a destiny…”

“My destiny is to change the way the world has been for the last one thousand years, to restore peace between humans, dragons, and elves. And what better way than to have a human as my chosen brother and an elf as my chosen partner?” He smiled, brushing her hair back. “You’re everything to me Rayla. You know that.” He sighed, then stepped back a little. “But if you don’t want anyone to know, that’s fine, we will keep it a secret...for now. When the time is right, I will tell everyone my feelings for you. Agreed?”

A sad little smile came to her lips. “Agreed...” A little part of her hoped he’d eventually meet a nice dragoness and forget her...but another part wanted to hold onto him forever.

They continued on, hand in hand up the mountain path before noticing Ezran had stopped before a large gateway, carved to look like a pair of wings. Rayla frowned as she looked it over. “This is elven writing.” 

“Can you read it?”

“It says,  _ prepare to draw your last breath _ .”

The human looked back at the elf. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Don’t worry,” the dragon said as they continued onwards. “If anything is beyond...I’m sure we can handle it.” 

They continued the climb for a few more minutes, nothing really interesting happening. However, Callum slowly began to notice that Ezran, Rayla, and Bait seemed to be struggling to press on. Ezran finally fell to his knees, breathing heavily. 

Callum knelt at his side and rubbed his back. “Ezran? Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“I-I can’t…I can’t breathe,” Ez managed. “I-it’s…too hard…to b-breathe.”

“Rayla, what’s wrong with him?” he asked, but then turned to see her lying on her side, also struggling to breathe. He ran over to her, helping her to her knees. “Rayla? Rayla what’s wrong?”

“I-I can’t go on,” she moaned softly, “I-I can’t…I just…” She groaned as he helped drag her over to Ezran. 

Callum looked over them both as they curled up. “Rayla? Ezran? Please, wake up!” he pleaded, shaking them and noticing their breathing was getting slower. He looked around the misty path. “Someone! Someone help me!” he shouted out over the clouds. “Please! Someone!” He looked back at the others. “Rayla? Ezran? Come on, y-you need to keep breathing!”

“My word, you’re a noisy one.”

He gasped as he looked up and saw a hybrid walking down the stairs, her short, raven hair framing her horns and face. “Pyrrah?”

“You  _ did _ tell me to go to Storm Spire.”

“D-do you know what’s wrong with them?” he asked desperately, shaking the others’ shoulders. “I can’t…I don’t know what’s wrong with them!”

The dragoness rolled her eyes. “Calm down, they just need Ventus Spiralis.”

“What?”

“It’s a spell.”

“C-can you cast it?”

“No, I’m a sun dragon. I can’t do sky magic. You can do it.” She nodded to the unconscious pair. “Just think of the words and cast the spell.”

Callum took a few deep breaths before nodding, closing his eyes, and calling on his powers. “V-Ventus Spiralis.” 

The spell seemed to work at once, Rayla and Ezran suddenly gasping, and taking in a deep breath.

“Oh wow, it worked. What a surprise,” Pyrrah mocked. “Honestly, didn’t you see the instructions halfway up?  _ Draw your last breath _ ? Cause, you know, elves can’t breathe in thin air?”

“Okay Pyrrah, you made your point,” the prince growled at her. Rayla sat up and took several long deep breaths, Ezran also smiling at his and Bait’s recovery. 

The elf smirked, looking over at Callum. “Did it have to be her?”

“Considering I just saved your life, a thank you would be nice.”

Helping her stand, the dragon growled softly. “I was the one that cast the spell.”

The dragon rolled her eyes. “Whatever, look, since you clearly can’t shift yet…” She looked away. “Do you want a lift up the Spire?”

Looking upwards, the elf judged the remaining height. “It would be appreciated.”

With a slight nod, the dragoness closed her eyes and shifted into her true, dragon form, and leant forwards so they could climb on her back. “I’m not sure if I should be insulted or proud to be giving you a ride.”

“I’ll say proud,” the prince said as he climbed onto her back and helped Ezran sit in front of him. “You get to take me the rest of the way home.”

The sun dragon nodded, then took to the sky, dropping through the air for a moment before soaring upwards. On the dragon’s back, Callum reached forward and held Rayla’s shoulder in front of him. “You okay now Rayla?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She smiled, then looked to see his tail wrapped around her wrist. “Callum?”

“Sorry,” he whispered, removing his tail from her. “I…I was just worried about you…when you weren’t breathing.”

“I’m fine Cal,” she whispered in reply, leaning back and kissing him softly on the lips. “Thanks for saving me.”

In front, Ezran turned around just in time to see them. “Wait…what was that?”

Rayla just blinked, cheeks flushing. “Umm…”

“You were gone for a while,” Callum said over her shoulder as they went upwards. “And…things happened.”

Ezran smiled at them both. “About time.”

In front of them, the dragoness huffed. 

“And you can keep your mouth shut, Pyrrah. That’s an order.”

“If you say so, your Highness. Besides, we’re almost there.” The dragoness landed on a large platform at the top of the mountain, a bridge of wood and stone ahead of them while on the other side of the bridge, was a large building, cut into the stone. It looked slightly rough and worn, but still beautiful, several towers and windows reaching out into the sky, while at the very front, was a massive door engraved with beautiful runes.

As the group climbed down and the sun dragon took to the air once more, Callum just stared across the bridge at the palace. “Y-you’ve been here before Rayla?” he asked softly, not taking his eyes off it.

“Yeah...but…it looked a lot... _ brighter _ the last time I was here.”

“It seems…pretty dark,” Ezran commented. “Like...no one’s here.”

“Only one way to find out,” Callum decided, slowly walking over the bridge. The palace towered higher and higher the closer he got. 

As they finally reached the other side, the dragon paused for a moment, his heart pounding as he stared at the ominously large door. 

Beside him, Rayla smiled and held his hand. “Callum…we got you home.” 

Callum smiled as he walked towards the door, but the moment he reached for the handle, it opened, and an elf with dark blue skin and a staff stepped out. 

He looked over the dragon before his eyes widened. “Prince...Cadonumis?”

“Yes. I’ve come home and I’m here to see my mother.”

He blinked, then bowed his head slightly. “It makes my heart leap to see you’re alive, your Highness...but I’m afraid you’re too late.”

“What do you mean? Too late?”

“I’m sorry, your Highness, but your mother, Queen Zubeia...she’s fallen into a deep sleep and hasn’t woken up since.”

“But she’s still alive?” Rayla asked.

“Oh yes…she still lives,” the elf confirmed with a nod before sighing. “At least…at the moment. We do not know how long she can hold on.”

Callum felt his heart sink at the words, but decided to keep his chin up. “I wish to see her.”

“As you command your Highness,” he said, turning away and walking towards the entrance.

It was oddly dark, the torches burning dimly as if in mourning. As he led them down a hallway, the elf looked back at the others. “My name is Ibis, mage of the Skywing elves. When I heard that Queen Zubeia was ill, I thought I could use my magic to help her. Losing her mate and her child had irreparably broken her heart. For a while…it seemed she would be alright but…eventually, she closed her eyes and has not opened them since.”

The dragon sighed as he walked, his steps slowing for a moment. A hand slid into each of his and he looked to see Rayla holding one hand and Ezran holding the other. With their support, he carried on walking, following the mage as he led him around several dark hallways until they came to a chamber. It had a few doors leading off and a tunnel leading to the entrance, guarded by two stone carvings of dragons. 

“This is the royal chamber,” Ibis explained as he walked down the darkness, his staff glowing to light the way. “Sadly, a lot of the palace staff have left since the queen entered her slumber. I try to…keep everything going here, but it’s not easy when there are normally a few hundred staff. Currently…there are twelve, including myself.”

The prince released a breath, preparing himself as he squeezed the two hands. They arrived at a large cavern, standing in the entryway at the top of a flight of stairs. Veins of blue metal ran across the rocks while a hole in the ceiling allowed sun and moonlight to flow in and illuminate the area. The ground sprouted a collection of crystals, flowers, bushes, and grass. 

In the very centre was a dragon, bigger than anything Callum had ever seen. Her scales were a dark blue, and her spine was covered in a mane of white fur like the tip of his own tail. Her head rested on the grass near a large boulder, and her tail wrapped around herself. 

The others stood at the top of the stairs and looked on in amazement before the prince slowly headed down first and the others followed. Walking up to the dragon, he looked her up and down. “This…is my mother?”

Ibis nodded. “Yes. This is the Dragon Queen, Zubeia.”

With a shaky breath, Callum slowly reached out to place his hand on her face, but then, at the last moment, hesitated and stepped away. Instead, he looked at the rock near her head. He stared at it for a moment before suddenly staggering backwards, clutching his head with both hands.

“Callum!” Rayla shouted, hurrying to support him as he tripped back and fell to the floor. He barely even noticed as he held his head and his breathing got sharper. “Callum? Callum are you alright?” She held his cheek and watched him with concern while the others gathered around.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and stared at her, panting for a moment before he settled. “I-I remember.”

“Remember?”

“That night,” he confirmed, sitting up but wobbling a little, grabbing her arm to steady himself. “I remember…the night I was taken.” He glanced at the rock. “I was hiding behind this rock. And…I remember your parents Rayla!”

“Your parents?” Ibis repeated, but the others ignored him.

“They were trapped…Viren…he did something to them…I heard him…he said…Aspiro Frigis…the freezing breath. He…he trapped them with it…they couldn’t move…and he came over to me.” He blinked at the memory. “I saw him, standing over me, his staff ready to kill me…and I was so scared…and then…Tiadrin…” He paused, remembering the moment. “She told him…I was powerful. That I…I had use to him…since he was a Dark Mage. She told him...I would…I would make him powerful.”

Rayla gasped at the words. “Wait…she…she said that? She…she told him that?” She looked away from him, ashamed. “So, she did betray you.”

“No,” he chuckled lightly, turning her face back to him. “She  _ saved _ me. Viren was going to kill me, and she convinced him to let me live. Yes, it meant I spent the last ten years chained to a wall, but he kept me alive!” He stroked her cheek to remove her tears. “Your mother saved me then so you could save me now. And Viren…he said…he would repay them for the idea...and then I remember his magic…the darkness…it…” He frowned. “ _ Your soul is my treasure _ .”

“What?”

“That’s what he said…he was saying it strangely...but I remember… _ Your soul is my treasure _ . That was the spell he cast on them.” Suddenly, he laughed and jumped to his feet. “Rayla they’re alive! Your parents! They’re still alive!”

“Y-you’re sure?”

“Yes! I know it! That spell…it didn’t kill them! It did…something…changed them…but they’re still alive! That’s why they never came back to you! Because they’re trapped somewhere. I’m sorry I didn’t remember before, but Rayla, they’re alive!”

Smiling, the elf stood and hugged him tighter. “Thank you.”

* * *

**RK: Okay, I still like the scene where Callum sees the stone remains of his father, alright? I don’t know why, but it’s just so powerful and heartbreaking, and I just love the deepness behind it. Rayla’s there for him, he releases the pain freely with her, and he remembers the good times he had with his papa. Okay? Sad? Yes. But good? Yes.**

**SL: So, a few people may have read ‘Arrival’ as one of our prompts which is about Cadonimus’s kidnapping and the outcome… Ray and I realised later that we had actually published it a chapter too early. Ops. Well, now you can see the other side! **


	27. Chapter 24 – Departures and Reunions

#  **Chapter 24 – Departures and Reunions**

Soren gasped as he watched his father walk up the hill, dressed in a white robe with a large, serpent-like creature around his neck. One of his eyes was a milky white, and the other, pure black. “Dad?” he asked timidly.

Viren moved to stand in front of the troops, a staff of some kind in hand. “I have been granted a great gift,” he called out to them. “The power we need to defeat Xadia and to save humanity is now ours! We must evolve. When we strike against the Dragon Queen, we will face elves and dragons, and they will rain fire upon us. But with this gift, I will inoculate you. And instead of destruction, that fire will be our nourishment!” He smirked menacingly and nodded to them. “Now, come forth.”

No one in the crowd moved, sounds of distrust and fear among them. 

The king frowned at the lack of willingness, but then smiled slightly. “Do not be afraid. You will understand when you see the first to change…my own  _ beloved _ son, Soren.” He turned to the guard behind him. “Step forward, my son. Let me help you.” He held out his hand towards him.

Soren stared at him in disbelief, then shook his head. “No.”

“What?”

“I said no! I don’t want this. I don’t want your magic.” He stepped back once. “I’ve seen what your magic does, and I will not have it.”

“You dare deny your father? Your king?”

“Yes!” he shouted, drawing his sword and throwing it at the king’s feet. “I won’t follow you anymore.”

The soldiers mumbled at the exchange, amazed by the pair, but then Prince Kasef stepped forward, offering to take the Crown Guard’s place. Viren nodded. “A brave and worthy soul. Come, show them all of  _ your _ strength.”

Soren glared at the prince, but then watched as his father used the golden, glowing staff to cast a spell on him, turning him into a monstrous creature with cracked skin like the surface of lava. Carefully, Soren backed away, realising this would change everything. He had to warn the others.

He turned and ran down the hill, hearing the spell behind him being cast over the whole army. 

“Soren!”

He stopped and looked back to see his sister following him. “Claudia.”

“What’s going on?” she asked as she caught up and held his arms. “Where are you going?”

The guard shook his head, refusing to meet her eye. “I can’t stay here anymore, Claudia. I can’t…I can’t let this happen.”

“This?”

“This war. You know as well as I do that Callum wants to stop it.”

“He’s a dragon. He could wipe all of us out in seconds if he wanted to.”

“But he doesn’t want to! He wants peace! And we aren’t giving him a chance!” he snapped at her. “You’ve seen what’s going on. What Dad turned Kasef into...what  _ Dad _ turned into.”

Claudia looked away. “Soren, he’s doing this…for us, for humanity.”

“He’s changing into something else. Something…I don’t want to see. And so are you.” He held her arm as it held onto his. “But…it’s not too late. Come with me, Claudia. Leave this, leave him and help me.”

“Where will you go?”

“You know where I’m going,” he explained, brushing her hair back gently. “You can come too. Please?”

“No! Please, Soren, don’t…don’t do this to me,” she sniffed, “Don’t make me choose.”

He thought for a moment, then smiled softly. “Okay.” He walked past her. “Goodbye, Clauds,” he whispered, then hurried to find his horse to ride deeper into Xadia, the same way his father was planning to go.

~#~

Having spent the afternoon exploring the palace and sharing their adventures, Ezran told them about what had happened in Katolis and Pyrrah about her issues convincing the western dragons. They all had a grand meal before each of the group were shown to a room where they could sleep and wait until morning.

Callum yawned as he left his room which, according to Ibis, had been his when he was younger. He walked out onto a balcony, looking out at the sunrise and feeling the warmth on his skin. He sighed to himself.

“Sleep well?”

He turned to see Rayla walking over to him, rolling her shoulders. “Not really,” he confessed, leaning over and kissing her cheek. “I missed you.”

She sighed as he leant back. “Callum, stop, you promised me.”

“No one is around,” he whispered, looking at her and holding her hand. “Why can’t I share a moment with you?”

“Your Highness.” 

Turning away from her, Callum looked at the Skywing as he came from the other side of the hall. “It’s Callum.”

“Callum, I wanted to speak to you.” The dragon nodded, still holding Rayla’s hand as he turned, but Ibis held up a hand of his own. “Alone.”

“Whatever you have to say, it can be said to Rayla too.”

“Forgive me, but what I have to  _ show _ you can only be seen by royal eyes.”

“You’re not a royal,” Rayla reminded him, “How come you get to see…whatever this is?”

“Because I have been the protector of this place since the queen fell into her slumber. No one else bothered to take up the burden.”

Rayla glared at him, getting the distinct feeling he didn’t trust her. “Well…I guess…”

“Rayla, it's fine,” he said, kissing the back of her hand. “I’ll be back in a moment.” The dragon turned to follow the other elf, heading back to the chamber where the queen was sleeping. They walked around to the back where there was a door. Ibis took a key from around his neck and unlocked it, stepping inside to reveal a smaller cavern. 

Callum gasped as he stepped inside. “Wait…what?” he questioned, looking at the item that sat in the middle; a large, glowing, blue egg with iridescent flecks of color on it. “Wow...”

“Your majesty, may I present…your brother.”

“My brother?” he asked, looking over the egg. “Rayla said…the queen had an egg but…how can he be my brother? My father is dead.”

“Yes…because while this dragon is born of Queen Zubeia…the father is unknown.”

“What?”

“The queen went out to fly and…several weeks later…she bore this.”

“So no one knows who the father is?”

“No, that’s why we haven’t been able to hatch it,” Ibis explained, looking at the egg. “If we knew what type of dragon was the sire…we could expose it to that primal source so he could hatch. The wrong source could kill him. But…only the queen knows, and she has fallen asleep, so now…we have to just wait.”

“What does this mean to me?”

Ibis looked down at his feet. “Well…the truth is…I just wanted to get you alone.”

“Alone?”

“Away from…the assassin.”

“Rayla? She’s no longer an assassin, she’s my Dragon Guard.”

“And I fear your choice of guard is…mistaken.”

“Why?”

“You know her parents were Dragon Guards. Tiadrin and Lain? They…they abandoned their post. They are the reason you were taken.”

Callum froze, glaring at the egg. “Ibis…did you not hear me before?”

“Your Highness?”

“Tiadrin and Lain saved my life.” He lifted his eyes to the Skywing. “They protected me…they saved me. They are  _ not _ traitors!”

“Your Highness… the previous Dragon Guards…”

“Some ran. Yes, I know that, but Rayla’s parents did not!” he growled. “And if you think Rayla would  _ ever _ abandon me, you have no idea what we’ve been through to get here.” He stepped over to the elf, glaring at him. “Rayla is a Dragon Guard. She is  _ my _ Dragon Guard, and if you dare say anything negative about her parents or her again, I will throw you off the tower!”

The mage paled, then bowed almost in half. “I’m sorry, your Highness. I…didn’t mean to offend.” He stood straight and looked at him. “But…I must say you and Rayla…you clearly…have feelings for her.”

“She wishes to hide it but…yes,” he chuckled lightly. “My feelings for Rayla are quite strong.”

“But she is an elf, and you are a dragon.”

“Your point is?”

“Callum…you are not just any dragon. You are the prince, and one day you will be king.” He gestured to the egg. “Even if we were able to hatch this egg, it could never become king.”

“So?”

“So, you have to think of the future of Xadia.”

Callum frowned at the mage. “You are not saying what I think you’re saying.”

“Your Highness….”

“As thanks for looking after my mother, I’m going to _pretend_ this conversation never happened. And for your own good, you will _not_ bring it up again,” he growled, then walked out of the room, stopping at the door to take the key from the lock and put it around his own neck.

~#~

While Callum was with Ibis, talking about whatever was for ‘royal eyes only’, Rayla decided that she’d do something she’d been putting off long enough.

Turning, she walked down the hall and stood in front of a certain door she knew of at the side of the palace, right next to the royal chambers. She opened it, and found another hallway with five doors, two on each side with one at the very end. Taking a deep breath, she walked down the hall, remembering the last time she was here. The door at the end would lead to a training room with an armoury and a dining area for the occupants, and each of the others was a bedroom designed for two people to share. She glanced at the doors as she passed them. Almost every door had two red marks painted over them in sharp strokes, but then, most had a blue line striking them out...except one door.

It still had the red marks, but no blue.

Standing outside it, the young elf swallowed, remembering when she’d been given a letter with the same marks on it, the marks of traitors.

Each bedroom in this hallway had been marked with ‘traitor’, and the blue on top showed the owner had since been caught and punished. But not this door. The owners of this room had never been caught.

Now, Rayla knew the truth. They had never been caught because that monster had done something to them.

Reaching out, she touched the names, barely visible under the paint. She had hated them for years, feeling the pain and shame of them not only abandoning their post, but also abandoning her. For ten years, she thought they had left her behind, too ashamed or scared to even contact her. 

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped inside. It was as if it were frozen in time, the room just as she remembered it from her childhood.

A desk to one side, where her father would sit and write letters to her and reports for the court, a shelf full of books above it, including a copy of the code for the Dragonguard, something her mother was proud to have memorised from cover to cover and could recite at calling.

The beds had been pushed together to make one larger one for them to share, the sheets still tossed and messy. The occupants had left in a hurry a decade ago. 

Next to the bed was a small table with a splodge of wax from a candle that had burnt itself out long ago, while next to it, was a small wooden frame with a drawing inside. The subject was a young elf with a big goofy grin that showed off a missing tooth, her eyes filled with happiness.

Rayla smiled as she picked up the image, remembering the day a travelling Tidebound had come to Silvergrove and offered to draw anyone in exchange for some food or lodgings. Runaan had traded a whole basket of moonberries so he would draw Rayla, and they had sent it off to her parents. She had no idea they’d framed it and kept it so close.

Putting the image down, she continued to look around, finding the tools they used to tend to their weapons with, and an old collection of sweets that had long since dried up. 

She kneeled by the chest at the bottom of the bed, opening it up and finding their spare uniforms and some ‘off duty’ clothes for when they could leave the palace. Picking one up, the daughter held it close to her heart, fighting back tears as she remembered them. The smell on the shirt was faint, but it was just as she remembered; crisp, nightly breeze and shadow flora. It brought tears to her eyes and she hugged it tighter. “I’ll get you back,” she whispered, as if they were in her arms once more. “I will get you back.”

After taking a moment to silently grieve, she folded the shirt back up and replaced it in the chest before noticing a small box at the bottom. Curious, she picked it up and looked it over.

It was a dark green box with the rune for ‘love’ in silver on the top. Opening it, she found a ring inside, a square gemstone set in a silver band, the stone shimmering between creamy whites, greens, and yellows. A moonstone ring. She smiled sadly, remembering it. It was her mother’s, a ring her father had given her the day Rayla was born. She always kept it in the box while on duty, worried it would get lost or damaged while training or fighting. She’d always promised Rayla it would be hers one day.

Carefully taking it from its case, Rayla tried it on her finger and found it to be a perfect fit. Deciding it would be a good way to keep them close, she put the empty box back and stood up. A sad smile on her lips, she began to tidy the room, making the bed, removing the old melted candle, and replacing it, getting rid of the old sweets, and generally cleaning her parents’ room up.

“Rayla?”

She turned at the call and saw Callum staring at the paint on the door. “Hey, you finished with Ibis?”

“He wanted to show me my half-brother,” he explained, walking over to her while also looking around the room. “This…this is your parents’ room.” 

“Yes.”

“And…that mark on the door…”

“It says ‘traitor’.”

Callum growled loud enough that she heard it. “They are not.”

“You and I know that now…but ten years ago, there was no way to know. The others ran…they thought they did too.”

“I will have Ibis remove it at once,” he told her, leaning over and kissing her brow. “And make sure everyone knows that you and your family are  _ heroes _ to the crown.”

Smiling, she snuggled into his shoulder. “Thanks Cal. I know it’s silly but…that makes me feel better.”

Sighing lightly, the prince leant back a little closer to her, rubbing his nose up and down her cheek. It was an odd gesture, but relaxing as Rayla leant towards him, turning her head so he was hovering over her lips.

“Ahem?”

They parted quickly with Rayla turning to hide a blush when she saw Ezran and Bait in the doorway. “Ez…is-is everything alright?”

“Yeah, but you’re going to want to see who just arrived,” he said with a small smirk.

~#~

The sun dragon huffed as she watched the guest sitting at the table with her. “Feeling better yet, stupid?”

The guest frowned at her as he drank from a cup in his hands. “Why did I help save you again?”

Pyrrah chuckled. “Suppose we can call it even now. You're feeling better then?”

“Yeah…much better.” He nodded, then heard a door open, seeing the person he had come to speak with. “Scales!”

“Soren?!” Callum laughed, running over and hugging his friend. “What are you doing here?”

“He came to see you, stupid.”

“Hey, that’s your nickname!” The boys laughed before Callum looked him over. “Where’s your sword?”

“Ah...” He looked down at the empty scabbard. “Yeah…about that.”

“What happened?”

He tried to give a smile, but it ended up looking like a wince. “The thing is…we’re all doomed.”

“What?”

“It’s my dad.”

“Ma…” Callum started, then stopped, calming himself. “Viren? What about him?”

“He’s here in Xadia. He’s rallied the armies of four kingdoms, and it’s not just that. We went to the sun elf place? And my dad stole some kind of power from them. He used it to transform his army...into something else.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re stronger, angrier, big claws! He’s made an army of darkness, and he’s leading them here for you, Cal.”

The group all looked panicked at his words. After a moment, the prince nodded. “How long do we have?”

“I rode for two whole days and nights without rest. He has an army. They will be slower, so…three, maybe four days.”

“Wait, go back a little.” The dragoness frowned. “Sun elf place?”

“It was a city in the middle of a plain. I wasn’t allowed to go with him, but even from our camp, I could see this golden orb…almost like a second sun? But then it turned…black.”

Pyrrah looked horrified as she turned to Callum. “That sounds like Lux Aurea. The Sun Nexus is there! My nexus!”

Callum nodded. “Go. Find out what has happened there.”

She bowed her head, then hurried away.

“Ibis.” 

“Yes your majesty?” the Skywing replied from the corner where he had been keeping an eye on the new human.

Turning to address him, the prince nodded. “You told me once that you could fly. I want you to head towards Lux Aurea, see if you can spot this army. We need to know how many and how far away they are.” His eyes softened a little. “Be careful. Do not underestimate the one leading them.”

“Very well your majesty,” he agreed, then bowed and left the room. 

With a deep breath, Callum turned to Soren, Ezran, and Rayla. “So much for a peaceful solution.”

“Let’s be honest Cal, he was never going to just give up,” Ezran sighed.

The dragon kept his eyes turned away, thinking, then looked at Soren who kept his gaze to the floor. “Soren.” He stepped over and held the guard’s shoulder. “Thank you for this. I know it couldn’t have been easy.”

“I’m doing the right thing,” he said, then looked up at his friend. “For once.”

Callum nodded. “Come on, I’ll show you somewhere you can rest. You look exhausted.”

Soren stood, stretching his back out. “Please. And…any chance of a meal?”

The prince chuckled at him. “Yeah, I’m sure we can get you some food…and a bath. You stink.”

~#~

In the large chamber, Callum stood before his mother as she took slow breaths. He sighed softly as he watched her. “It’s odd but…all this time, travelling across Xadia…I kept having this…idea. A dream I guess.” He chuckled dryly. “I don’t get many of those…dreams I mean…but I thought…I would get here and...you’d be waiting for me. I wanted…I wanted to see your eyes…I wanted to remember. I wanted to remember your eyes and…hold you and…remember. Please, I want to remember.”

The dragoness exhaled, no sign of waking.

The prince moved towards her. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for…for everything. I’m sorry for leaving you, and the pain you felt. I’m sorry that my father died…I’m sorry for every…trouble and heartache I caused you.” He took a deep breath, pushing back the tears in his eyes. “I know it wasn’t my fault, that I did nothing wrong but…I’m still the cause, and I’m sorry for that.” He inhaled and exhaled deeply, then nodded. “And…I’m sorry for this too…” He held out his hand. “But I need you to wake up.” He then placed his hand on her snout, bolts of lightning running from his hand and dancing over her body. 

He’d expected to hurt her, but instead, the lightning began to take on a rainbow effect, the aura going over him as well as the dragoness, waves of light filling the whole room before fading into nothing. 

Lowering his hand, the prince waited to see the result.

Nothing.

His mother continued to sleep soundly before him.

Breathing becoming sharp, the prince gasped, trying not to collapse as he leant against her. “NO! No, I was so sure it would work!” he screamed out as tears fell down his cheeks. “Please, Mother. Please wake up.”

“Your Highness?”

The teen turned to see Ibis behind him. “Ibis,” he gasped, quickly wiping his eyes and clearing his voice. “Y-you’re back.”

“Yes, I just returned. And I am sorry to return with the news that the army of darkness is about two days away from here.” 

“Two days? That isn’t long to prepare. But it’s better than nothing. How many?”

“Several thousand.”

He swallowed hard at the number. “And what of Lux Aurea?”

The mage nodded. “The Sunfire Queen is dead, the city deserted…the Sun Nexus has been corrupted.”

“That’s not good.” 

“There  _ is _ some good news, your Highness,” Ibis said with a smile. “There is someone who wishes to meet you.”

Wiping his face again, Callum cleared his voice, trying not to look like a mess. “Lead the way.”

The mage smiled, then drew a rune in the air. “Renovare,” he said softly.

A sparkling dust and cool air raced over to the prince, and he felt his cheeks pale and his eyes clear. “Wh-what was that?”

“Forgive me for not asking permission, but I thought you wouldn’t want someone to see you…like that.”

He smiled softly. “Thank you, I do appreciate it.” Both of them walked out of the chamber and to the front of the palace where Rayla, Ezran, and Soren all gathered. 

Still in her dragon form, Pyrrah stood beside two adult women, one a human, and the other a dark-skinned elf in golden armour.

The elf turned to him and her eyes widened. “It  _ is _ true,” she whispered, bowing forwards with her hands crossed before her. “Prince Cadonumis. I am Janai, Golden Knight of Lux Aurea.”

“Janai, I’m glad to meet you. And I’m sorry to hear about the Sunfire Queen.”

“Thank you for your condolences,” the knight said calmly, “And I believe you already know my prisoner?”

The prince didn’t miss the smirk the elf gave when introducing the other, but he nodded respectfully. “General Amaya, correct? Ezran’s aunt.”

The general frowned at him, then moved her hands. Ezran nodded as he moved forwards. “She says…I find it hard to believe you are the same boy I met at the Banther Lodge.”

Callum smirked. “I’m not. And I’m sorry about what happened then. It was a…difficult situation.” 

The general smirked and nodded in understanding. 

Janai nodded as well. “I am proud to fight and defend the royal family. I’ve brought my city’s forces,” she explained, looking behind her to the base of the tower. “What’s left of them anyway, but they wait at the bottom of the Storm Spire, ready to fight the monster who destroyed our home.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” he sighed. “We were outnumbered…but now…” He shook his head slightly. “Let us go inside. We can discuss our situation there.”

The group walked inside the palace and into a large room with several chairs surrounding a round, stone table. It was decorated with engravings, while in the middle, a map lay with several markers. 

Once everyone had taken a seat at equal spaces, Callum nodded to the map. “Ibis, where did you spot the enemy?” 

“Here, your Highness,” he said, placing a black rock on the map. “At the rate they are travelling, they will be here in two days.”

“So we have two days to prepare and defend.”

The Skywing looked away. “There is…another option.”

“Another?”

“This man…this monster, Viren…he is coming for you, Cadonumis, with an army that will outnumber us.” He looked at the prince. “I hate to say this…but Xadia needs you alive. And this place…is a dead end with only one way out, flight. Something you do not have for long.”

“What are you suggesting then Ibis?”

The mage lowered his head. “That you run.”

Everyone looked shocked at the words, the prince moreso. “What?”

“Cadonumis, you have to live. You have to make it out of this! You are the hope for everything and everyone in Xadia!” He stared at the prince, speaking freely. “You are the future, and if you die here…”

“Then everything before will be for nothing!” he shouted, slamming his hands on the table to emphasize his point. “My ten years of suffering will be for nothing! My journey here will be for nothing! My father’s death will be for nothing!”

Janai blinked at his change, then nodded herself. “I am with the prince. I saw this monster, what he can do. He will not stop.”

“If I run, he will follow me,” he snapped. “I will put anyone with me in harm’s way. And what of my mother? If I run, what happens to her?”

“The Queen is sick, and I do not know when she’ll wake up…if she ever will,” Ibis explained. 

Rayla shook her head. “We have to have faith that she will recover. We came all this way, we can’t leave now.”

Callum took a moment, then let out a deep breath. “We have a choice to make. We can try to take a stand here…outnumbered and trapped…but show that  _ creature _ that we are not scared of him…or we can run and  _ hope _ we find a way to beat him in the future.” He sighed, then looked to a wall, his mind spinning before it finally settled. “I will not force any of you to fight or run. It is your choice, your decision…but I intend to fight.”

The table was silent, contemplating the ideas, but then slowly, someone raised a hand. “Umm, hi,” Soren spoke up, looking over the collection of people. “Look…I’m not really a part of… _ this _ , but can I say something?”

“You are as much a part of  _ this _ as any of us, Soren,” Callum said, taking a seat and waving for him to rise. “Your opinion has as much value as anyone else here. Please, speak.”

Smiling, Soren nodded and rose to his feet. “I’ve known Viren longer than anyone here. I mean, because he’s my dad...but it took me a long time to understand who my dad really is.” The guard breathed, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. “And it was hard to see, because I really looked up to him. I didn’t see a single fault in him. The way he talks…it makes you think he’s doing the right thing.” 

Callum snorted under his breath. 

The guard nodded to the side. “Yeah, I know now he wasn’t…but that’s only because I can look back and see the mistakes. I can see now, despite him saying that everything he does is to protect his family, his home, or all of humanity…it’s really for himself. He makes you  _ think _ that as long as you do what he says…you’re doing the right thing. Even when he asks you to do something you know is bad...something evil.”

He paused, judging the table. “So, the truth is, someone who wants to make others do horrible things, and convinces you that they’re good, that’s a villain.” He looked up at the prince. “My dad is a villain, and he’s only gonna get more powerful, and the more powerful he gets, the more people will listen to him, and believe him, and follow him. So, maybe we could run, and we’d be safe for a while, but Callum is right; he’s not going to give up. And he will destroy anything and anyone that gets in his way.”

Rayla nodded, standing as well. “I agree with the dumb lump. We should fight here. If we let Storm Spire fall, then he will have the power of two nexus…if we stop him now, we have a chance. And besides, my place is at your side Callum.” She smiled slightly. “Where you go, so do I.”

He nodded his thanks at her words, waiting for the next to speak.

Ezran stood up next. “My dad once said…  _ it’s only when you look fear in the eye, that you know where you stand _ . Well…” He stood from his chair. “I’m standing here. I’m scared…really scared…but I know this is right.”

The next to move was Pyrrah. “The dragons of the west believe in purity and tradition. We have not changed our ways in thousands of years,” she explained with a huff. “But we serve the crown. And if the crown is in danger, then I am willing to fight among those willing to do the same.”

Callum smiled slightly before looking at Janai and Amaya, who sat next to each other. “Where do you stand? Fight or flight?”

The Sunfire elf nodded as she stood. “That creature destroyed my home, killed my sister, and many of my soldiers. I’m more than willing to fight to get my revenge. But…I do agree with the mage. Your life is the most important one around this table, your Highness. We thought you were dead…and Xadia shattered. The elves and dragons of each source…separated. With your return, there is a chance for unity against this evil. So I say you run. You run, you live, and you gather the others to fight beside you.” She looked down. “My people will fight to give you time and protect your mother, but you must live.”

“So you will fight, but expect me to run?”

“I would not think less of you if you did,” the knight explained with a sigh. “But…I saw what he could do, the harm. I do not want that to fall upon the last heir to the throne.”

Callum took a moment, but then nodded in understanding, looking to the last member at the table who hadn’t yet claimed their stance. “General Amaya? What do you think about all this?”

Amaya glanced at him for a moment, then turned to Ezran, moving her hands. The young boy concentrated on her movements. “I have not known you long, but I’d like to think I am a good judge of character.” She paused with a smirk. “If you wish to fight, I will fight with you.”

Callum nodded, then looked over them all. “I am not alone in our intent to fight, but I understand your concerns over my safety. Viren will be coming for me, we know this. So, I will position myself on the Spire, safe enough to avoid danger, but close enough to help with the fight.” He looked to Ibis beside him. “I refuse to leave my mother, and I refuse to simply flee. If you don’t want me on the front lines, I understand. But then I demand that I assist in protecting the little family I have left.”

The mage bowed his head slightly and nodded from his seat. “Very well your Highness. I will do all I can to protect you.”

“Thank you. Now, we need a plan. We know the direction the army will be coming from, and we know we have two days to prepare. We don’t know if he knows we’re ready, so we need to prepare for anything. Pyrrah, what can you tell us about the enemy?”

“If I thought humans were animals before, these things are pure beasts,” she reported, sighing as she leant back in her chair. “As I flew over, I saw infighting and disorder. It seems the only thing controlling them is Dark Magic.” 

“I concur. However, I did notice a lack of speed in their movements,” Ibis added, “They were slow, cumbersome…as if they didn’t know how to control their bodies. As if…in a daze.” 

“Believe me, Dark Magic will do that to you,” the dragoness mumbled, rubbing her side where the healing wound still throbbed. 

Looking at the map, Callum nodded. “Is there any way we can get reinforcements?”

“We could summon the dragons of the local area?” Ezran suggested.

“A good idea. Pyrrah, can I leave that to you?”

“I will handle it.”

Soren stood. “Corvus and the others were going to Duren to try and get some help. With any luck, they will be on their way. Without spending four days going to Lux Aurea as we did, they should be close now. With some help, they might be able to make it before the battle.”

“Ibis, I want you to try and find them, guide them this way.”

“As you wish, sire.”

“Janai, Amaya, the area around the spire is wide and open,” he said, looking at the map closely. “But there is only one entry point. I want you to arrange a defensive perimeter around it.” 

Janai nodded, seeing his plan. “Hold the line.”

“We hold them off as long as we can. Funnel them in, and take them out one at a time.”

“Impressive plan.”

Ez chuckled as he watched his aunt sign. “Umm, she says ‘Are you sure you’re not a general yourself?’”

He chuckled back. “No,  _ I’m _ not. It’s my ancestors and their memories that  _ really _ deserve the credit.” He scratched the back of his neck before sighing deeply. “Their target will be me. And as agreed, I will stay away from the front line…using myself as bait. But with the spire being so difficult to traverse, it will be our natural advantage. While they try to climb up, they’ll be vulnerable, and I can use my magic to pick them off and stop them from advancing.”

“Advancing?” Soren asked with a confused frown. “What do you mean? You said they'd be after you…why would they go…past you?”

Callum gulped, realising his mistake then, looked to the floor. “My mother. I don’t know how to explain it, but I know Viren will not go for me straight away...He will go for my mother.”

“We won’t let him,” Rayla snapped, “We won’t let him get anywhere near her.”

“I know you won’t.” He looked over at the Moonshadow. “Because you will be protecting her.”

She blinked. “What?”

“Rayla, I want you to stand guard at my mother’s chamber, protect her. You will be the last line of defence.”

“Callum, no, I belong at  _ your  _ side.”

“I want to know that my mother and half-brother are safe, and the safest place is with you protecting them. You are a Dragon Guard Rayla.”

She looked downhearted at his words, but also knew what he was doing. He wanted to keep her safe as much as his mother. “Alright Callum. I will protect your mother.”

“Thank you.” He turned to the others as they sat around the table. “We have two days to prepare. So Pyrrah, I want you to go and find the dragons. Tell them they are being summoned to protect the crown. Ibis, find the army of Duren and bring them safely here. Bring as many elves as you can along the way. And the rest of us will prepare for the fight, defending the spire.”

“As you wish, sire. However, there is only one small problem with your plan,” Ibis said as he stood from his chair. “What you are planning to do is an act of war.”

Rayla gestured to the map on the table. “Umm, yeah, obviously. That’s kinda the point.”

He looked down and shook his head. “Forgive me, I did not make myself clear. Only a crowned monarch of Xadia can declare war. The dragons and elves will not come unless it is declared by the monarch. It is what has kept the peace between humans and elves for so long. Some may act alone.” He glanced at the former assassin, then back at the others. “But their actions can be excused as extremists or rebels. Unless given permission by the king or queen, then Xadia is at peace. And right now, we do not have a king, and the queen cannot give her seal to this.”

“Well, I’m the prince of Xadia,” Callum reminded him. “I can declare war.”

“You are a prince, Callum, but you are not a crowned monarch.”

His eyes narrowed on the mage. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means, if you plan to do this, if you want to declare war…you need to become the king.”

The teen went stiff, his breathing seizing up. “King?”

“Yes.”

“I-I’m not ready to become king.”

Ezran frowned from his side of the table. “Can’t he just be Prince Regent?” he offered. 

“Prince …Regent?” Ibis repeated, slightly confused.

“It’s a position held in human courts,” the human general explained via her nephew as a translator. “It means that they take on the responsibility of king or queen while the real king or queen is unable to complete their duties.”

“I will not take the crown from my mother while she sleeps,” Callum said under his breath. “I will wait for her to wake, and then choose. But if we need a ruling monarch to protect the queen and everything within Xadia, to stop this monster before he can harm anyone else, then I say we do this. I will become Prince Regent. Then, I can declare war and summon the others to help us.”

The Skywing elf thought for a moment before nodding. “Yes, I believe I read something similar to this Prince Regent. You can take the crown Cadonumis and still remain a prince.” He smiled. “We can hold the ceremony tomorrow morning!”

“Uh, ceremony?”

* * *

**SL: Oh dear, you’re going to have to wait for the ceremony! And I will leave Ray to gush over the ‘Soren/Pyrrah’ moment.**

**RK: *crosses arms and pouts* Hey...I-I’m not ** ** _that_ ** ** bad! Besides...the better Pyrren moment is in the next chapter.**

**SL: And don’t forget to review! We love them and TBH, at this trying time (since Ray works for a pet store and I work for a supermarket) we need all the love we can get.**

**Stay strong and stay safe everyone! **


	28. Chapter 25 - Long Live Prince Cadonumis

# Chapter 25 - Long Live Prince Cadonumis

"So, you ready?"

Soren turned to the voice and blinked when he saw the dragoness. Her dress was now changed out for armour, similar to the Sunfire elves', but the metal was tinted red, and her clothes below were tight and black. The metal was shaped and patterned like the scales of her draconic form.

After taking a moment to admire her, Soren sighed and looked back out the window of the lookout tower. Unlike a normal lookout tower, this one was underneath the palace, right below the blanket of clouds.

"To fight an army of humans? To fight my own Crownguard? People I trained? Not to mention my own sister and father?" He sighed as he looked out over the distance, waiting for them to appear over the horizon. "No, I'm not ready."

"I'll say you're not. You don't even have a sword."

"Threw mine down when I left my father," the blond explained. "I didn't want to carry it if it would be used to kill innocents. I want peace Pyrrah, just like everyone here."

The dragoness sighed, leaning on the window banister with him. "It's a shame…that we'll have to fight. But with the Sunfire army, the dragons, and the other human army…if they turn up in time...we may have a chance to just intimidate him into surrender."

Soren scoffed. "You don't know my father like I do. He doesn't get intimidated."

Looking out, they stood in silence for a bit, but then Pyrrah shuffled on the spot. "Thank you, by the way."

"For what?"

"For helping save me...when I was shot down, and you loosened the chains."

"Yeah, I remember. Never thought you would thank me for it."

"Contrary to what you might think, I like being alive." She smirked. "And…I'm sorry about the village. When this fight is over, I'll go there, see if I can help somehow."

"Well, a strong pair of wings will be helpful in fixing the tower. If you don't mind some lifting that is."

She gave him a glare, trying to see if he was serious or not. "We have to get through this battle first."

"We'll make it. If you're half as good a fighter as you are at insults, we'll be fine."

Pyrrah chuckled lightly at that. "Indeed." She then looked at him with a smile. "And if you're as good at fighting as you are kind, you'll do great too." The dragoness reached to her side, drawing out the weapon she was carrying. "But you'll be no good to anyone without a sword," she explained, then held the hilt towards him. "Here, take mine."

Soren looked at the weapon as she offered it; the blade was a fiery red like the dragon's natural scales, and the hilt was shaped beautifully, a small, red gem at the base.

He quickly held up his hands. "I-I can't accept."

"Do you have any idea how strong a dragon blade is? I mean, a sunforge blade may stay hot forever, but they still have their limits. A dragon blade? They're sharp enough to cut through stone and never dull."

"But it's yours."

"I'll be fighting in my true form. I won't need it," she explained. "The dragons are assigned to the air, attacking from above. So weapons are useless to me, and you need one."

After a few more internal hesitations, Soren reached out and took hold of the hilt, feeling the weight. "It's so light."

"Try it against that pillar," Pyrrah advised, pointing to one near them.

Confused, Soren took a stance then swung. The tip of the blade sliced into the stone like it was butter. "Wow..." Soren looked closer and admired the clean cut. "That…that was amazing."

"Look after it and it will keep you safe," the dragoness said with a nod. "And…don't lose it, stupid."

He smiled at her, then stepped to her side, boldly leaning over and kissing her cheek. "Thank you Pyrrah," he said, then put the blade in his scabbard. "I'll look after it."

The dragoness looked oddly flustered before huffing, a small flame coming from her nose as she did. "Whatever. I just think the prince would be upset if you got hurt."

"Yeah, maybe he would." He looked back out the window. "Pyrrah? Do you see that? On the ridge over there?"

The dragoness looked out as well before frowning. "That's not the army of monsters."

"Something is flying above them…"

"Ibis!" she realised, turning and hurrying to find the prince. "That must be the army of Duren! They made it!"

The pair turned and ran up the stairs, out of the tower, and back to the main palace. They hurried around to gather everyone that was needed, then ran outside. Janai ordered her people to part as they made way for the new group of soldiers, including the baker, the tracker, high advisor, and the general's translator.

Queen Aanya of Duren smiled as she dismounted her horse and approached the human king, the dragon beside him. "King Ezran," she said with a bow, "I'm glad my troops and I were able to make it in time."

"We are more than glad to see you too, Queen Aanya," Ez replied with his own bow.

Callum chuckled softly. "We were worried you had gotten lost," he explained, then bowed to her. "Queen Aanya. I am Cadonumis, the Dragon Prince of Xadia. Thank you for coming to our aid."

The young girl blinked. "Wow, you're…not what I expected for a dragon."

"I get that a lot." He blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"But I am glad Duren could come to your aid, Cadonumis." She then held out a hand to Corvus who stood beside her. "I have heard very good things about you. Mainly, that you wish for peace?"

"I want peace for all of Xadia and the human kingdoms," he explained boldly.

"Then we share the same goal."

"I'm glad to hear it. Please, come with me to the palace. You must be tired from the long journey."

The young queen looked up at the spire, the tip hidden in the clouds. Callum chuckled lightly at her clear worry about the mountain. "Hope you aren't scared of heights."

"Your Highness?"

He turned to the speaker and spotted Ibis behind him. "Yes?"

"I hope you remembered, we have the ceremony tonight," he reminded him with a small smile.

~#~

Looking up at the sleeping dragoness, Callum reached out and placed his hand on her face. "Wake up, please. I-I don't know if I'm doing the right thing."

The queen took a breath, then let it out, continuing to sleep as she had for the last few weeks. Apparently, the day she'd fallen into her deep sleep was the very same day Callum had been thrown out of harmony with his Arcanum. The dream he had, it was her last bit of magic calling to him. Now, she couldn't even sense him right before her. "I'm here mother," he pleaded. "If you could just open your eyes…you'd know I'm here. It's me…Cadonumis."

"Callum?"

He turned around and a sad smile came to his lips. "Rayla." His gaze looked her up and down. "I almost didn't recognise you."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah well…I figured my normal attire wasn't right for the occasion."

"Don't remind me," he grumbled.

"If it makes you feel any better, you look really handsome, regal even."

He turned to her, his long cloak flowing behind him as it trailed down to the grass of his mother's sleeping chamber. He was wearing something Ibis had found, the fabric fine and soft in a stormy blue colour. The material shimmered as he moved, like stars were trapped within it. It came high to his neck with a white collar and matching belt, the buckle and clasps on the shirt highlighted with gold.

The white cloak parted over each wing behind him, and each of his horns now had a thick, golden band with blue gemstones attached. He gave her a smile, then reached out and took hold of her hand. "Well, you look stunning."

She blushed at his words. She'd changed into a long, sleeveless dress, dark forest green with silver highlights across it. The bottom was cut so the front was slightly shorter than the back. Her feet were still in her normal, long boots, but they now had silver bangles around the ankles that jingled when she moved. She had two more silver bands on each forearm and each one was decorated with small, green gemstones. She still wore her Dragon Guard badge, pinned over her heart, and it seemed to shine a bit brighter now.

Her eyes now had some white marks above them as well as the purple ones below, and her lips were sparkling in a dark red which Callum could barely take his eyes off of. Her hair was still the same, but resting behind one horn was a dark blue rose, just like the one he'd given her at the nexus.

"Is that the same rose?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

Rayla touched it softly. "Umm…yeah…I…I kinda preserved it."

"It suits you."

They stared at each other, smiling, but then, a snort behind them drew them back to the queen. Stepping closer, Rayla placed a hand on his shoulder. "Callum, I know you're scared…but this has to be done. You heard Ibis. The others won't fight if we don't."

"I know but…it feels wrong Rayla. I…I'm not ready to become king. I…I'm not ready to lead."

"No one is saying you have to be king." She held his cheek and turned him towards her, leaning her brow on his. "But whatever comes, we will face it."

With a slight nod, the prince closed his eyes, his tail slowly wrapping around her ankle. "We can do anything together, Rayla."

"Yeah," she whispered, leaning up and gently kissing his lips before pulling back and chuckling. "Oops!" She reached up and rubbed his lips with her thumb to remove the mark she'd left.

As she finished, he took hold of her hand gently and kissed the back. He opened his mouth to speak, but then a bell called out above them, and he sighed. "It's time."

"Ready?"

"No, but I have to do this."

Kissing his hand as it held hers, the elf nodded. "I'll be right at the front," she promised, then stroked his hair back into place. "Make me proud Cal," she said as she hurried off, her anklets jingling as she went.

Once she was gone, Callum took one more look at his mother, placing a hand on her snout before giving a respectful bow, and turning to leave. He walked alone through the halls of the spire, holding his head high and his wings wide until he came to the room he'd been instructed to come to.

A young elf stood outside, but once he spotted him, he slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. By the time he had gotten closer, the door opened to a soft bell ringing above, a collection of people standing on either side of the room and creating an aisle. Humans from Katolis and troops of Duren stood mixed in with the Sunfire, Moonshadow, and Skywing elves, and a few dragons that were already at the spire.

They all looked to the doorway as he stood, and he slowly began to walk forward. As he did, someone made a sound, and along the aisle, soldiers of all races drew their weapons and held them to cross above his head as he walked under them.

Once he got to the other side, he was faced with a small rise that led to a large, decorative chair that had gaps in the back where a dragon could sit with wings spread if they wished. Above it, carved into the wall, were all six of the primal runes.

Callum walked up to it before turning, his cloak billowing behind him as he moved, but then he sat down, heart pounding, but head held high. A small smile crept onto his lips as he saw Ezran, Rayla, and Bait at the front. Ezran looked oddly dashing with a replica of the Katolis crown on his head.

Once seated, the swords were lowered and the guards turned to face him while Ibis walked forward from his place at the side. He smiled as he did before turning to the congregation, holding up his hands and showing them all a large, round sapphire that was floating just off the palm of his hand. "Coronam," he whispered to it, then stepped away.

Above them, the sapphire glowed slightly, and the engravings in the roof began to slowly glow too, each a different colour before each one seemed to float off the wall and change, uncurling from their rune form and becoming a single line of coloured light. They flew through the air towards the sapphire, then started to weave in and out to create a circlet crown of six golden strands that held the stone in place.

Everyone watched in awed silence as it slowly floated down towards Ezran who held out his hands. He gently took it, feeling a buzz of magic flow into him. He released a breath, then looked at his brother who smiled encouragingly, and nodded for him to continue.

The young human swallowed, then stepped over with the magically created crown, walking up the steps that had been placed for him. "I, King Ezran of Katolis, in the name of the human kingdoms and in the name of Xadia…crown you…" He placed the crown carefully on his head with the stone in the center. "Cadonumis, The Dragon Prince."

He stepped back and looked at his brother. "Long live Prince Cadonumis!" he called out.

"Long live Prince Cadonumis! Long live Prince Cadonumis!" the assembly repeated before bowing to their new prince.

Once they stood, the Golden Knight of Lux Aurea walked towards the prince, one of her followers behind her carrying a box. As she approached the throne, she bowed with her hands crossed before her. "Prince Cadonumis, as a token of the Sunfire elves' loyalty, I present to you a gift for the upcoming battle."

The follower opened the box and knelt before him, showing the contents. "Please accept this armour so it may keep you safe and lead us to victory."

Callum looked at the armour and felt his heart race. It was a dark golden colour, the chest a simple chainmail, but each link looked more like a scale than a link. On the right shoulder was a guard with a thick leather strap to keep it in place, the clasp shaped like the royal seal.

The Golden Knight bowed to him. "It is made from a rare material that is light to wear, but as hard as stone. We would be honoured if you would accept."

He was tempted to pick it up, but decided to wait. "Thank you Golden Knight. I accept your gift."

With another bow, the Sunfire elf turned and walked back to the crowd.

The next to approach was Amaya and her translator, Gren, who was holding a sword. The general gave him a small smirk, but bowed all the same, then began to sign. "To Prince Callum, in the name of King Ezran, we plead the loyalty of the Standing Battalion and the Broken Links to protecting you and your people." She turned and waved to the sword. "This sword has protected the breach for a thousand years. It has served as a sign of the distrust and hatred between humans and Xadians. May it now serve as a sign of our unity."

The dragon nodded and stood, taking the sword from Gren and drawing it, looking at the beautiful blade with the human writing engraved on it.

"What does this writing say?" he asked the general.

She signed, then Gren replied. "It reads, 'as one, united.'"

"Fitting." He smirked at her, then bowed his head. "I will bear it with pride. Thank you."

As the pair stepped back, the newly crowned prince looked over at the beautiful Moonshadow elf as she smiled with pride at him. Holding the new sword tight, Callum turned to his people. "Listen to me, everyone. I take the crown today not for myself, but to lead all of you. We face a dangerous, deadly, and fearsome enemy that will show us no mercy. But as I stand here, I swear to each and every one of you, that I will not allow these monsters to win. They will see the force of Xadia! They will come here and not find a land defenceless." He looked at the inscription on the blade in his hand. "But a people united as one!"

He turned to Ezran who was standing with the others once more. "Humans." He looked at Rayla. "Elves. And dragons. United. Fighting against one force." He raised his head a bit more. "We will fight. We will fight for each other. We will fight for peace, and hope. We fight…For XADIA!" he shouted, thrusting the sword into the air.

This time, the cheers were wilder, brought on by the power of their new prince as he stood before them. At the front, the female Moonshadow elf clapped and beamed before catching his eye and blushing.

* * *

**SL: WOOOOOO! Crowned Prince Cadonimus! For the win girls and guys!**

**RK: And since we got to the good Pyrren scene, now I'll scream. XD**


	29. Chapter 26 – One Last Night

#  **Chapter 26 – One Last Night** <> 

Despite the coronation, Storm Spire didn't have much of a celebration that night. Instead, everyone spent their time preparing for the battle that would come the next day. Some spent it training, drinking, or performing rituals, each elf, human, and dragon readying themselves how they wished to. The newly crowned prince had just spent several hours with the generals, mages, and captains before deciding there was something he himself needed to do before the coming fight.

Heading towards the royal antechamber, he found her looking out over the clouds. "Thought I would find you here," he said as he walked over and took hold of her hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Anxious," Rayla sighed as she stared out at the clouds. "But I will do my duty to protect the queen."

"I know you will Rayla." He squeezed her hand. "I couldn't ask for a better guard."

Touching the stone on her chest, she smiled softly. "How was your meeting?"

"We've gone over the plan a hundred times. We're ready for whatever that monster throws at us."

The Moonshadow elf glanced at him with a slight worry in her eyes. "Callum…will…will you be alright… if you have to face him? After everything…"

"After everything he did to me, it's time for some payback," he told her, leaning over and brushing his cheek against hers. "I'll be fine. I know I can do this. You give me enough strength to do this. Don't worry."

"No matter what you say, I'll still worry about you," she sighed, rubbing her cheek against his in return. "I hate that this plan will have us separated. I should be by your side."

"I have an army protecting me," he said, squeezing her hand in his. "And my mother and brother have you protecting them." He breathed into her ear, then leant back, looking into her eyes to search them for a moment. "Rayla…tomorrow…tomorrow may be our last day."

"Don't-"

"I know it won't be. I know we will win. We will stand together again but…there's still the chance. Despite all our plans, we may…we may fail, and it all may end. And…with that risk…knowing that tonight could be our last night, I can't let it pass unmarked."

The guard frowned at him. "What do you mean?"

A smirk came to his lips, and he leaned in to kiss her firmly. His arm wrapped around her hip, pulling her towards him. The elf didn't need much encouragement as she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and scratching him behind the ear.

His moan against her was intoxicating and she almost moaned too when he pulled away. He stared at her with a half-lidded gaze. "Rayla," he whispered, his voice suddenly deeper.

Before she could reply, he knelt slightly and picked her up off the ground. Her startled yelp just made him grin as he carried her across the chamber to one of the doors. Still holding her, he easily opened it.

Inside was a chamber carved into stone, clearly meant for a dragon. The walls were empty, aside from the lanterns of blue flame that illuminated the space. A collection of various, soft, dark blue pillows and blankets were gathered together in a large, messy area on the floor.

As the prince gently laid her down, the elf glanced at them with blush as she thought of another possible description: a nest.

"Cal-" she started, but was soon silenced when he kissed her once more. His hands wandered, exploring her body. They made her feel like she was melting, and she couldn't fight off the urges within her.

As he had said, this could be their last night together. So, she gave in.

~#~

Panting for breath, the dragon stared down at the sight below him. Her hair was tossed, her cheeks flushed, and eyes closed as she slowly recovered. Her eyes slowly crept open to look at him, and with a soft smile, she reached up and caressed his cheek.

A smile of his own formed on his lips as he leaned down and nuzzled into her neck. He kissed her skin gently, listening to her moans of delight at his caress, but he soon pulled back, leaning towards her ear. "Get some sleep."

"C-Callum."

"Shhh," he whispered, lying down and wrapping his arm around her. "Sleep."

Exhausted, Rayla sighed and rolled in the nest of pillows around her, eyes closing once more and snuggling into him. He moved closer to her, his tail wrapping around her leg comfortingly while he pulled one of the blankets over them both.

Slowly, they both drifted off into a calm sleep, listening to each other's breaths and heartbeats.

Hours later, Rayla shifted slightly, feeling a good kind of tired as she slowly stretched out, her joints cracking back into place. She looked around the room before settling down, leaning on the dragon's arm as he watched over her, but had since fallen asleep.

She smiled as she remembered his touch, the look in his eyes, the sound of his voice calling her name, the delight of the night before. Slowly, she reached up and softly brushed some of his hair to the side, knowing she would do anything to protect him.

The touch disturbed his sleep and he slowly opened his eyes, smiling instantly when he saw her. "Hey," he whispered, his voice sounding a little hoarse.

Despite the thousands of things she wanted to say to him, the only thing she could think of was to say "hey" back.

He didn't seem to mind as he nuzzled into her neck and sighed. "You look beautiful this morning," he purred as he leant over her, making sure the only thing she could see was him. "I wish I had my book right now. I could spend forever drawing you."

She rolled her eyes at him, stroking his hair back. "Silly lizard."

"_Your_ silly lizard," he corrected, hovering over her lips.

Despite herself, the elf blushed and nodded. "Yeah…_my_ silly lizard."

"Always," he whispered back with a kiss.

They ended up brushing against each other's bodies, letting out little moans as they did. Just as it got a little more heated, Callum rolling her over so she was on top of him, someone opened the door. "Your majesty!" The guard charged in, but then froze when he saw the pair.

Callum's eyes became furious slits as he pushed Rayla off him and sat up, his wings spread wide to cover her from this stranger's gaze. "Tell anyone what you saw and I will kill you!" he growled darkly, "Now what do you want?"

"Th-the enemy has been spotted, sire," the elf reported, clearly shaken by what he'd witnessed and the threat. "Th-they will be here in a few hours."

Calming slightly, the dragon nodded. "Very well. Now get out!"

The man bowed before hurrying away and closing the door behind him.

Callum sighed, then turned back to Rayla who had found a blanket to cover her body with. "I guess we need to get ready."

While he didn't want to let her get dressed and leave his side, he knew they had to. So, he shifted closer to her and kissed her lips firmly once more before pulling back. Without saying anything, he stood up and walked further into the room, not bothering to cover himself as he did. He picked up a box that had been placed in the corner, and brought it over to her, setting it down gently. "This is for you," he said with a smile, then grabbed his clothes and left the room.

Once she was alone, Rayla opened the box and gasped when she saw what was inside. Armour of a metallic, storm colour, and an emblem like the one on her badge.

~#~

Callum sighed as he looked out over the sky, head held high and breathing steady as he prepared himself for the fight. He'd dressed in the armour gifted by the Sunfire elves and wore his crown upon his brow. The sword hung at his side, and a shorter, more practical cloak draped behind his back.

"Hey, lizard!"

He smiled at the call and turned to face her as she came out of the room. Her normal outfit was now replaced with a light blue uniform, topped with silver metal. Her chest was covered with a breastplate, opening to a high collar. Her shoulders were protected with spaulders that had small, purple gemstones to keep them in place. The underskirt beneath her armour came down over her hips, and over her wrists were braces of the same metal. Her weapons were sheathed at her sides and she gave him a cheeky smile. "How do I look?"

"Perfect," he said, holding his hand out for her. She took it and stood by his side. The elf watched as he leant closer to rest his brow against hers, breathing in her smell.

She allowed him, her eyes closing until she felt her heart steady once more. "Callum. Promise me you'll be careful."

"I swear Rayla. I will come back to you." He smiled and leant back, making sure to kiss the back of her hand. "Protect my mother."

"I will."

"Until we meet again Rayla," he said, kissing her lips softly before turning to head to his post.

"Wait! Callum!"

He stopped and watched her run over to him and grab his hand, quickly sliding something onto his finger. He looked at the ring on his hand, then at her. "W-wh…"

"It was my mother's. I want you to have it, for good luck."

He smiled with a nod, closing his hand into a fist. "I will keep it safe until the end of the battle. Then I'll give it back to you."

"It's a deal. Now go." She smiled at him and gave a little bow. "Your Highness."

"I think I prefer you calling me 'lizard'," he teased, flicking his tail as he headed off once more.

* * *

**SL: As much as Ray and I would like to write a '**_**bow chicka wow wow'**_ **scene…this story is suitable for ages 13+…so we had to cut it. Sorry. But if you go to Ray's Wattpad or my AO3 account and look for 'Extras and Prompts', you will find the cut 18+ scene.**

**Also, omg, it's almost over! One more week and that's it! T-T**

**RK: We're almost done...that's...that's weird to think about...like, bruh. T-T**

**SL: It's so close to being over. *clings to Ray with tears in eyes.* I don't want it to end!**

**RK: *clings back* Me neither!**


	30. Chapter 27 - War

#  **Chapter 27 – War**

The sun was rising as Callum got into position, the army of monsters doing the same. 

General Janai and the army of Lux Aurea stood between two natural boulders, creating a wall of elves to block the path that led to the base of Storm Spire. Queen Aanya of Duren was waiting on the other side of a rise with her cavalry ready. 

The dragons, waiting on top of the spire itself, would be used to create chaos among the enemy troops so the forces of Duren could come through undetected. 

The plan was to let the monsters draw close, then attack from both sides, hopefully leading to a quick surrender. The prince stood at the back of them all, able to see everything and to be seen by everyone. He glanced at the tower behind him, then sighed deeply, drawing his new blade and holding it steady.

Below, he could see Amaya raise her shield and a group of Sunfire elves stepped forward to create a wall. Each one of their shields linked with the next.

Suddenly, one of the monsters charged out across the field towards them, but then someone on a horse gave a command, and all of them charged forwards. As they got closer, Callum realised how little of their humanity was left. They didn’t look anything like humans anymore. Soren was right. They were monsters.

As the army just about reached the wall of elves, the shields dropped, and a wall of golden light radiated from the linked shields to knock many of the creatures back. Some even managed to fall unconscious. 

The others didn’t even blink at the attack and continued to charge at them. Squeezing his weapon, Callum watched as they met the line and pushed against it. The line held, and from behind it, the elves began to defend. A smile came to his lips. If they held them back, they could-

A bolt of black light came from the other side and collided with the line, exploding against the shields. His smile fell as he felt the Dark Magic crash through the air, and witnessed the line fall apart from the blow. Humans, elves, and monsters alike had been hurt by the blast, and now they had a clear entry to the tower.

He wanted to run down and help, but he knew his place was here. He had a job to do, not just as bait to draw them in, but also as defence. So, he could only watch as a force much stronger than his own attacked his home.

They somehow managed to make a line of shields again, but then one of them, a larger one, broke it once more.

He tensed, watching them carefully before raising his arm to the sky and reflecting sunlight off his blade. The light shone up the mountain to initiate the signal. Above, a roar broke out, and suddenly, twenty dragons dropped down from the clouds. The black and crimson form of Pyrrah led them, Ezran riding on her back. 

They roared, then ignited the rear side of the field, bellows of flames charring the grass and army behind the main line. Callum spotted a disturbance in the flames; probably a Dark Magic shield, he reasoned, but he didn’t care. The dragons had taken out several hundred of the enemy and terrified the rest.

Just as planned, when they attacked, the forces of Duren came out of hiding and attacked from the rear. They came around to block any retreating forces, forming the second line.

However, as the flames started to die down, Callum realised in horror that the creatures were getting back up. “Oh no,” he whispered, watching as the dragons started to land so they could assist the ground troops. As the cavalry of Duren attacked with a volley of arrows, charging into the fight, the prince noticed the ballistas being pointed at the dragons. Dragon bindings quickly pulled down at least six of the dragons while only some made it back up into the safety of the sky.

He looked down at his wrist. “Ezran! Are you alright?”

_ “Yeah! Soren warned us and we got away. But Cal, the fire…they...they…” _

“I know Ez. They…seem unaffected.” He glared down at the monsters as they got closer to his position. Even with the calvary pinning them in, they still kept charging forwards despite having no escape route. “Pyrrah must keep you safe! That’s her main priority right now! If she can, tell her to shift. She’ll draw less attention as a hybrid.” 

_ “Okay Callum. You stay safe!” _

With their connection broken for the moment, Callum looked over the battle. The front line was breaking in more and more places and their forces were getting fewer with each person killed or injured. Some of the creatures had made it all the way to the spire and were now climbing up the rockface. 

Preparing himself, he watched them, then thought of the wind spell, using the gust to break off their unsteady grips, and cast them to the ground. Not a moment later, more were coming up the path. 

Fulminis sent them back.

Just as he turned back to the fight, the large one he’d seen break the line so easily came up, a halberd in hand. The prince held out his hand and tried Fulminis again, but this one was clearly stronger and didn’t even flinch at the power. He growled, wings spreading as he clutched his sword tight.

The creature attacked, but he blocked the blow and kicked back with his own, the former human stumbling a little. “Bad balance,” he realised, mumbling to himself. “That’s good to know.”

The other roared at him, then charged again, Callum dodging and striking out with each chance he got. He chipped at the beast, but his strikes did little to stop it. He did manage to cleave the halberd in half, but the creature just countered with its claws instead. Callum soon realised that they were far sharper than a dragon’s.

As he dodged away, Callum looked for something he could use to protect himself before suddenly, a spear head shot through the creature’s chest. As it turned to see who had attacked it, Callum also looked, not knowing who the weapon belonged to.

A familiar face with short horns was at the other side of the Storm Spire, riding a Sandwalker with another spear in hand.

“Ginten!” Callum shouted out.

The Variant clan leader nodded, then raised his arm above his head. A moment later, a loud cry called out. A second cavalry of Sandwalkers came out from a small valley to the side of the battle. A hundred Variant riders with spears and swords charged into the fight. Ginten didn’t stay on the spire, his walker jumping down to the fight and joining the others.

The prince smiled as he watched, the Variant force adding just enough to turn the tides of battle.

Shouts of ‘for Prince Cadonumis’ and ‘for King Ezran’ met his ears from where he stood. He decided the fight was close enough to victory, so he glided down to join in.

The dragon soon found out that the large one he’d fought was an abnormality. Even though the other monsters were immune to dragon fire, they weren’t immune to a blade, and a few strikes had them finished. Finally, after a few more minutes, the opposing force surrendered.

The victors cheered and soon hurried to round up any who were still alive. They saw to the wounded, each race helping out the other. Callum smiled when he saw Soren unchaining a dragon. He’d received a nuzzling from her, even if Pyrrah behind him looked a little sour at the sight.

As Callum searched the battlefield for those in need of help, Amaya and her translator came over with the Golden Knight. The human general signed with a frown on her face. “I’m worried. This is not over until we find Viren.”

Callum nodded. “I agree. We need to find him. He can’t be allowed to escape. I want the entire battlefield searched for him.”

“I will arrange it at once, your Highness,” the Sunfire elf said with a bow. “We will find him and capture him. We won’t let him get away.”

“Be careful,” he warned as she turned away to begin. “He’s not going to surrender easily. Prepare yourself for any kind of tricks he may have left.”

With a nod, she walked off to arrange the search. 

“Callum!”

Turning at the shout, Callum smiled as Ezran ran over. “Ez!” He hugged him tight. “I was worried.”

“Pyrrah kept me safe.”

“But it’s still not safe for you down here.” He frowned. “We haven’t found Viren, and you are as much his target as I am. I want you to get back to where it’s safe.” He turned and looked over at the approaching blond. “Soren!”

“What is it Scales?”

“I want you to take Ezran up to the spire. Until we find Viren, he isn’t safe here.”

“Right. Come on Ez,” he said, touching his shoulder to encourage him to move.

Ezran hesitated, but his brother just smiled. “I will join you once I’ve checked the battlegrounds. Go, the Dumb Lump will keep you safe.”

With a nod, he walked off, looking around at the devastation caused by the battle, and the scattered weapons and bodies around them. As they walked, Ez suddenly tripped over something, and Soren gasped when he fell. “Ez, you okay?”

“Yeah.” 

The ‘thing’ groaned.

“Ah!” Ez yelped, as he looked over a man covered with a blanket. “He’s still alive! Here, let me help you.” The boy pulled back the blanket with concern.

A familiar man in a white robe rose from the ground, his staff snapping out to a spear. His eyes were filled with menace as he looked down at the young boy, ready to strike him down.

“No!” Soren shouted, tightly gripping the dragon blade in his hand. “Drop the staff Father!” he ordered, ready to strike as he stood beside Ezran. “It’s over.”

Viren looked between his son and the king, weapon still raised to attack. 

Soren also prepared himself. “I am a Crown Guard, and he is the true king. I will do whatever is necessary to protect his life, because now  _ I know _ what the right thing to do is. Do you hear me?!”

“Soren, wait!” his sister called out as she appeared from behind a rock, a golden staff in her hands. “You’re making a mistake!”

Despite his sister’s plea and a moment of hesitation, the guard kept his eyes on the high mage. “Lay down your staff and surrender!”

Viren growled and lifted his arms, about to impale Ezran.

Soren struck first.

The red dragon blade moved effortlessly through the fabric and flesh.

The spear fell to the ground, and after a moment, so did Viren. 

Claudia gasped as she realised what her brother had done, hand to her mouth as she fought back tears. Soren frowned at the body, but his own horror and shock slowly sank in as his father lay on the ground before him.

His sister stared for a moment longer, then lowered her hand, her eyes set in something Soren couldn’t name. “How could you?”

“I had no choice,” he said firmly, looking over at her as he clutched the blade. “I-I had to protect what’s right.”

Ezran slowly stood from where he’d tripped and looked over at the body, sadness in his voice. “Why would he try to hurt me when it’s so clear he couldn’t win? The battle is over.”

Claudia smirked coldly at them. “No, it’s not,” she scoffed lightly, “The real battle was never down here. All of  _ this _ was just a distraction.”

The boys looked confused, but then the body glowed purple, fading into three moon moths. Soren gasped. “He was just an illusion...Claudia, where is he?!”

She just chuckled humorlessly, then glanced up at the mountain. Ezran gasped. “Oh no!” He turned, running to where he’d seen Callum heading, but when he couldn’t spot him, he instead turned to his wrist. “Callum! Where are you?!”

_ “I’m on my way back up the spire, following you. Where are you?” _

“Callum! I’m still on the battleground! Viren! He’s on the spire!”

_ “What?!” _

“The battle was a distraction! He’s gone for your mother!”

_ “I’ll never make it up in time!” _

Ezran turned away and ran up to the red dragoness as she oversaw the wounded. “Pyrrah! You need to head up the spire and find Callum! Take him to the top as fast as you can! Viren is up there!”

“What?!”

“Just go! You’re the fastest we know!”

She nodded and hastily took the sky with a beat of her wings. She found the prince as he ran up the stairs and grabbed him in her claw, not sparing the time to stop and let him climb onto her back. He didn’t care, her wings saving him invaluable time as he reached the top.

Suddenly, something shot out from a window, breaking the glass and striking the dragoness. She screamed and landed hard on the other side of the bridge, dropping the prince just before she landed. 

Callum rolled with his drop and quickly ran over to her. “Pyrrah!”

She groaned, but opened her eyes. “I-I’m alright…but I-I can’t move.”

“Stay here and rest,” he told her, drawing his blade once more. “I’ll deal with Viren,” he hissed, then ran into the palace, heading towards his mother’s sleeping chamber. 

~#~

Rayla had no idea how the battle was going. She didn’t know if they were winning or losing, or even if it was finished or not. She was too far above the clouds to see, so she just waited inside the palace with a handful of Sunfire guards that had been chosen to protect the building.

She stood at the edge of the queen’s sleeping chamber, listening and waiting.

Suddenly, she heard a slightly deeper breath from the queen and hurried to see her. “Queen Zubeia?” she asked hopefully, wondering if she was waking.

The dragoness exhaled and continued to sleep.

Head down, Rayla sighed as she looked over the dragon, then glanced back to make sure she was alone. “Umm…I don’t know if you can hear me…while you’re asleep and all, but…I wanted to tell you…your son is amazing.” She smiled, rubbing her own arm. “I…I’ve never met anyone like him. He’s brave and kind and...and everything you could want in a son. I…I’m lucky to have him as a…a friend.”

The queen’s breath messed with her hair a little.

Brushing it back into place, the elf sighed to herself. “Well, I say friend but…the truth is…I…I have feelings for him that go beyond friends. I…I really…care about him and…he cares about me. Can you blame us? I’ve been there for him from the moment I found him…I’ve seen him at his weakest and I’ve watched with…with so much pride as he’s grown stronger.”

Zubeia didn’t react to her words, but Rayla kept going. “I…I’m happy I can be with him...I’m so glad I met him. And…if you ever wake up…I hope you can accept what the two of us have. I know it won’t be easy…him being a dragon and me an elf but…I don’t think I could let him go.”

“How touching.”

She turned quickly to the voice and saw a human in a white robe at the top of the staircase, a purple creature draped around his neck, and a spear in hand that she’d only seen in a picture. Her heart leapt into her throat. “Viren.”

“Have we met?” he asked with a tip of his head. “You  _ do  _ look familiar but…I’m sure I would remember.”

Drawing her weapons, she looked over at him. “You captured my parents and tortured my friend!”

He frowned at the words. “Your parents?” he repeated aloud, then blinked as he remembered. “Ah yes…I remember a pair of Moonshadow elves...the last time I was here actually.”

Pointing a blade towards him, Rayla glared hard. “Tell me what you did to them!”

Viren smirked, then reached to his side, pulling out a small purse of some sort. “Don’t worry, you will be…reunited soon enough.”

With that, Rayla charged at him, determined to keep her promise of killing the monster. Viren blocked her blows with his staff before spinning it around, trying to attack her, but Rayla dodged them as fast as they came.

Frowning at her persistence, Viren kicked her back, and before she could get close again, he waved his staff before him and ice encased her legs, chest, and arms.

She gasped at the sudden cold and her inability to move, watching as the mage came towards her.

**\--**

**SL: So…the battle is over…but not the war. The Variants came to the rescue instead of Duren, since they already arrived. And there is one chapter left of the main story! (There will be extras, don’t worry) I can’t believe how fast this has gone! **

**Also, don’t forget to review! **


	31. Chapter 28 - Peace

#  **Chapter 28 – Peace**

As Callum ran into the palace, passing the bodies of several Sunfire elves, he heard the sounds of fighting from the queen’s chamber. As he charged into the room, he was just in time to see the man of his nightmares cast a spell that froze Rayla in place. He didn’t care how he was able to do Sky magic without a primal stone, he just charged forward to stand between them. “That’s far enough Viren!” he shouted.

The mage blinked at his sudden arrival. “Well, well, what an unexpected surprise, Callum.” He smirked, stepping back a little. “I hardly recognise you. All dressed up...like someone important.”

“Silence Viren! Drop your staff and surrender!” 

“Why?” he asked almost playfully. “Why should I surrender to you?”

“Because your army is defeated, and the war is over. Ezran will take his place as the king of Katolis and end your reign of tyranny!”

“Oh my…it seems you are unaware of the situation,” Viren said smugly. “I have more power now than you could ever hope to achieve, and when I consume  _ you _ , I will be unstoppable. If I were you, I would run…pathetic boy.” The mage stepped forward, untouched by the dragon’s attempt to stop him.

“Get back!” he called again, keeping his sword ready.

The dark mage took a few more steps forward, a wicked grin on his face. In the moment of silence, they could hear the deep, calm breaths of the dragoness behind them. Viren glanced at her. “Oh, this must be the Dragon Queen, sleeping so peacefully.” He reached out and gently caressed her muzzle. “Such a beautiful creature too.”

“Stay away from my mother!” Callum ordered, stepping closer so he was right behind the mage. 

Viren didn’t even glance back at him. “Maybe I’ll make you watch as I take her power first. She’s practically dead already. Be a shame to waste it.” He chuckled before turning on the spot and swinging his staff at the prince.

His reflexes were too fast, and there wasn’t enough time to move. With a weak gasp, the dragon doubled over after being jabbed in the stomach. He tried to tell his body to move, but the pain clouded his vision and coursed down his spine. Everything hurt.

“Your mother can’t protect you. You can’t even protect yourself, Callum,” he scoffed. “In what world could you ever defeat me?”

As the dragon fought back memories of pain, Rayla grunted while trying to free herself of her ice prison. “You know what you are, mage?!” she called out. “You’re weak! You’re a weak man who harms the helpless to make himself look and feel more powerful! You’re not strong. You’re as pathetic as they come!”

Viren took the bait and snarled over at her. “ _ I am _ powerful, little elf.” His staff turned to her, catching the underside of her chin. “I’m the strongest creature in all of Xadia, and when I take the dragon’s life essence, nothing will stop me.”

“Viren...” Callum hissed as he got back to his feet and faced the monster of every one of his nightmares. Somehow, he looked more monstrous than before with that creature on his shoulders. “This is your final chance; surrender now.”

The mage turned to face him. “You are feeling quite bold to speak to me like that,” he said, stepping forward. “Perhaps a week chained to the wall without food will curve your tongue.”

“Save it! I’m not scared of you anymore. Now, surrender.”

“I don’t think so,” he said cooly before charging at him. 

Callum growled, preparing himself as he drew his blade and used it to block the mage.

The two clashed over and over in the room, neither of them getting the upper hand. Something at the back of his mind warned him to be careful of the creature on his shoulders, but also the fact that he was trying to wear him down. He didn’t know why, but he was starting to feel tired. 

When the pair backed away once more, Callum took his moment and turned, running out of the chamber and into the palace. The mage followed, just as he had planned, and they fought for a moment longer in the hallways. Callum clashed with him over and over, trying to back away and get him further from his mother.

If Viren knew what he was doing, he didn’t say, and just followed the teen as he retreated all the way to the doors, then outside.

As soon as the wind graced his wings, Callum felt his plan work. The Sky Nexus filled him with strength and washed away his exhaustion. He turned to Viren and blocked the next attack from that awful spear of his, pushing against it as it tried to crack down on his head. “I’m not chained up anymore, Viren,” he growled out, pushing the mage back and swinging for his neck, watching as the human blocked each attack. “You can’t beat me down like you used to.”

The man huffed as they backed off from each other. “You were a misbehaved boy, Callum,” he sneered. “I had to teach you a lesson.”

“The only thing you taught me is that you tend to attack from the right!” He charged at him again, swinging for his left and managing a slight cut on his arm when he didn’t block fast enough.

Looking at the blood, Viren let out a snarl-like sound and held out his hand. Sensing the magic building, Callum turned and ran up the side of the palace, up the stairs, and towards the platform that was the nexus. He felt the ground shake as an explosion ripped some of the stone away and sent it tumbling to the ground below, but he was far enough away to avoid the damage himself.

He glanced back to see if his attacker was still following. A flash of white showed he was, and he raced to get to the top first, turning just above the stairs and lashing out as soon as the other came into view.

Viren grunted as he spun his staff around and stabbed the blunted end into his stomach, sending him back a few steps. The armour protected Callum from any injury, but he still felt his lungs burn from the blow.

He glanced quickly around the platform but it was just open and flat, a perfect view of the clouds and sunset around them. The prince panted for breath as he stood, looking back at his enemy and glaring hard as he prepared himself.

Oddly, Viren smiled, the large worm starting to speak. “There is nowhere for you to go now,” it said in a strange tone that sent shivers down the prince’s spine, but he held his ground, sword at the ready.

As the pair approached, Callum called upon the built up power inside him, and his hand began to crackle with lightning. “Who said I want to _ go  _ anywhere? Fulminis!” The magic shot out towards them, but the mage just blocked it. 

He tried again, but once more, it was blocked, diverted up into the sky. 

Letting the magic fall back, he gripped the sword tighter and charged, but with inhuman speed, Viren avoided the block, striking the back of his hand with the staff. A sharp, unnatural pain caused him to let go of it, and it was thrown far over the cliff to the ground below.

Disarmed, the prince gasped, but his talons were sharp and ready. “I will stop you Viren! You will pay for your crimes against Xadia!” 

Viren smirked, tipping his head to the side. “I don’t think so, boy.” He laughed, then slammed his staff down on the ground, dark, violet smoke coming from the ground and whirling around them both. 

Callum watched it for a moment, preparing himself for whatever this Dark Magic would throw at him. Purple lightning crackled and shot towards him. With no shield or weapon to take the blast, he just braced, but when it hit him, he screamed, feeling it pulling at him in a way he could’ve never prepared himself for.

He gasped for air as he began to feel his life force being pulled out. His body grew weak and thin once more. He felt tired, falling to his knees as he panted, but it just continued.

Behind them, Rayla had gotten herself free of the ice and followed them up to the top, seeing the mage, and watching in horror as Callum suffered. She held back a gasp, drawing her weapons once more before charging forward, and jumping up to take aim for his back.

The creature on his shoulders turned to see her, but the mage was too busy to notice. However, somehow, he still turned and held out his hand, sending a blast of wind at her and knocking her weapons away. 

Rayla landed harshly, and the mage turned to her as he continued to drain Callum’s life. “You’re too late,” he told her, smirking menacingly. “I’ve already won.”

She stared at Callum, unable to look away as the prince fell forward to his hands and knees. He had moments. His life was being drained away, yet, he looked past the monster and over to her, too weak to speak. The look in his eyes was not one of sadness or regret. They held something more powerful and unspoken.

Touching her guard badge for a second, she took a deep breath, closed her hands into fists, and charged at the mage as fast as she could. Before he could react, she tackled him around the waist, and kept running towards the edge until her feet left the ground, gravity taking them both.

Viren screamed as he began to fall down the impossible spire, but Rayla just let him go and allowed herself to fall.

Above, Callum took a few deep breaths as his life returned quickly, but then ran to the edge, looking down with panic. “NO! RAYLA!” he cried out, looking down at the clouds, but she was already past them. 

He took a moment before frowning, and quickly jumped off himself.

The wind rushed past him as he dropped down along the mountain. He kept his wings pinned to his sides for speed, eyes watering at the force against them, but as he passed the cloud layer, he saw her: his silver-haired elf. 

She appeared to have given herself to her fate, allowing herself to fall, but as the winds forced her to look up, she saw him falling after her. Her hand reached for him. 

Callum grit his teeth as he tried to dive faster, tried to reach her, but she was falling too far, too fast. He needed more speed. 

He closed his eyes, blocking her out of his mind as he tried to find the power inside himself that enabled him to shift forms. “Come on…Dragonic Matintio!” he told himself, then opened his eyes, but nothing had changed. He closed his eyes again. “DRAGONIC MATINTIO!” he screamed over the wind, but nothing happened.

He looked back at Rayla and beyond her, the ground coming into view.

She looked scared. 

He stared at her, then at the ring on his finger, raising it to his lips. “I-I love you, Rayla.” He gently whispered to it and gave it a kiss, holding his hand close to his chest. “Dragonic…Matintio.”

A shiver ran down his spine and he opened his eyes. Instantly, something was different. He felt it, the shift. He didn’t care what it had done to him. He was stronger now, and with a beat of his wings, he was shooting through the air faster than he thought possible. He caught up to Rayla in a heartbeat and turned so she was near his neck. “Grab on!” he shouted, and once he felt her grabbing the fur at his neck, he rolled around and returned to the sky.

Once he started flying back up, he turned his head to look over his shoulder, and saw her, clinging on to his back with a grin. “Callum!” she called over the wind, “You shifted! You’re a full dragon!”

He smiled at her, then nodded. “Hold on tight!” he told her, then beat his wings faster to reach the peak. He landed elegantly on the ground before shifting back to his hybrid form. Rayla had been in the middle of jumping off his back when he changed so she ended up stumbling, but soon, two arms were around her and holding her tight. 

Instantly, she held him too, amazed that she had a chance to once more. “Callum.”

“I thought I lost you,” he whispered sorrowfully into her ear. “I…I thought I was going to lose you.”

“Never, you stupid lizard.”

The prince leant back from her shoulder, cupping her cheek and rubbing away the tears that were beginning to form. “Rayla, if I didn’t save you I…I was going to let myself fall.”

His confession shocked her. “Callum, don’t-”

“Life without you isn’t worth living,” he interrupted sharply, “Because I love you Rayla. I really do.”

“Callum,” she whispered with a smile. “I love you too.” Then, the elf leaned in, kissing him as they stood on top of the world.

~#~

Having confessed their love, Rayla and Callum spared a few minutes together before the dragon shifted once more to his new draconic form. Rayla smiled as he did.

He was a little smaller than Pyrrah, a pale, sky blue with darker underplates. A mane of white fur surrounded his head, and spines lined his back while the fur ended at the tip of his tail. 

Carefully, she climbed onto his back and he took her down to the ground below, giving a mighty roar as they did. Every dragon that heard it also roared, and when he landed on a rock overlooking the battle, each one bowed their heads to the ground, the humans, Variants, and elves all following suit.

Smiling, Callum spread his wings and raised his head. “Today…we lost friends and comrades in this battle,” he said, his voice booming over the masses. “But we prevailed. We struck down the darkness that threatened our homes. We stood united. We fought together, and together we won! We wouldn’t have succeeded without each other!” He nodded slightly. “Let this day be the day that a new era of peace begins between us all. An era where every human, elf, dragon, and Variant will live in unity. Let this day be a reminder to the evils out there: we will triumph, and together, we are unstoppable!”

~#~

As night fell, the combined armies celebrated at the foot of the mountain, while above, in the palace itself, the royals, generals, captains, and leaders all gathered in the throne room, talking lowly together as they waited. After a while, the doors opened, and two young boys stepped into the room. Callum and Ezran, walking side by side, passed everyone to reach the end. People bowed to them as they walked by, hands over their hearts as they did. 

They paused to bow back to the Queen of Duren, but at the other end of the room, they joined Rayla and smiled at each other. “We did it,” Callum whispered, “We actually did it.”

“I just can’t believe it,” Ezran said as he picked up Bait and held him close. “Everything we’ve been through together, travelling the world…the battles…everything. To finally be here…together...”

“I know how you feel Ezran,” Rayla chuckled. “I can’t believe we did it...We changed  _ everything _ .”

“The world will never be the same now.” The Dragon Prince smiled. “Because of us.”

Ezran laughed, then glanced back at the people behind them. “Because of everyone, Cal.”

He turned and looked as well before smiling. “Yes, because of everyone.” He bowed respectfully to them all. However, he was interrupted when the ground below them began to shake, many of the warriors reaching for their weapons in case something was happening, but Callum just blinked. 

“Mother...” he whispered, then ran towards her chamber, his friends and a few others following close behind. 

They soon arrived in the massive chamber, just in time to see the gigantic dragoness move, sniffing the air and slowly opening her bright, blue eyes. She looked around for a moment before her gaze settled on the boy at the front of the crowd with a sapphire crown on his brow. “Is this…a dream?” she asked slowly as she stared down at him. “I-I can’t believe it.” 

She looked to the others as they gathered behind him, smiling at the recovered dragoness. “Variants and humans are here? And they…” She paused, closing her eyes as she began to shift down to her hybrid form. 

Zubeia stood before them, her wings shimmering as if lighting coursed through the membranes. Her hair was chestnut brown, tied back with a golden band. Her face was just like Callum had drawn her, kind and rounded, her smile slightly hesitant as she approached the boy who just stood still, taking in her eyes.

She reached out and slowly touched his cheek, tears rolling down her face. They’ve brought back my son?...” 

Callum nodded slowly at her touch, tears of his own forming. “Mother...”

With a small gasp, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him. “Cadonumis,” she whispered, hugging him close as the tears fell. “I thought…I thought you….”

“It’s alright mother,” he whispered back, hugging her tight. “I’m home...I’m home.”

She pulled away and stared at him, tears of happiness in her eyes. “Oh Cadonumis...you look so much like your father.”

He smiled at the comparison, then held her hand. “Mother, allow me to introduce you to the people who saved me.” He turned to the others. “This is King Ezran of Katolis, my brother.”

The queen didn’t even flinch at the mention of ‘brother’, or the fact that Ez was only a child. She bowed her head slightly. “Your Highness, thank you for bringing my son back to me,” she said respectfully. Ez returned the bow with a smile. 

“And this is Amaya and Janai. Best generals I could've asked for.”

The two bowed to the queen and prince before exchanging looks with proud smiles. 

Zubeia nodded to them. “Generals, may your swords always serve Xadia proudly.”

“Ginten, the leader of the Variants who helped us turn the tides of the battle.”

“It’s-It’s an honour your Majesty,” he said, kneeling before her.

“Please, rise Ginten,” the queen said softly. “I know your people have not always been treated kindly, but I am grateful you put that behind you.”

“In all honesty your Majesty, it was your son who made the difference.”

She nodded, then moved on to the next to be introduced. Callum pointed to both of them. “This is Soren and Pyrrah, best fighter and flyer I know.”

The dragoness and guard bowed respectfully to the queen, but Soren went a little too far and started to stumble, the dragoness grabbing his cloak to prevent him from face-planting before the queen. “Idiot,” Pyrrah muttered under her breath.

The queen chuckled lightly at their friendship, while her son moved to the next person he wanted to introduce, an elf. “And…finally, allow me to introduce you to Rayla.” He held out his other hand to her and pulled her slightly away from the others. 

The queen looked the elf over and noted her armour, giving her a smile and a nod. “A Dragon Guard.” 

“No,” Callum said softly, letting go of his mother so he could hold both of Rayla’s hands. His eyes gazed lovingly into hers. “ _ My _ Dragon Guard. I couldn’t have asked for a better guard or guide. She has saved me so many times…and…I love her with all of my heart.” He stared at her for a moment before his smile grew a bit. “So…if she will have me…” He reached to his hand and took off the ring she’d given him. “I wish for her to be my mate.” 

Everyone present gasped as they watched him stand with Rayla before slowly getting to one knee, his smile never faulting. “Rayla…I promised I would give this back to you when the battle was won. I wouldn’t be standing here without you, and I can’t bear to think of a day without you in it. Please…be mine, forever.”

The elf blinked in amazement as the Dragon Prince himself knelt before everyone and offered her the ring. 

The room held its breath before seeing the corner of her mouth turn up. “Yes,” she whispered before breaking out into laughter, “Yes, I will.”

Standing, Callum chuckled before taking her hand and slipping the ring onto the correct finger. He swept her up into his arms while those present cheered. Holding each other close, Callum brushed his cheek against her face before they kissed once more. “My elf...” he whispered. 

“My lizard,” she returned, kissing him again.

**The End**

**SL: I can’t believe it. It… it’s over. It’s done. I mean, we started writing this story in December of 2019, from a journal article on Deviant Art. And now, here we are, 28 chapters later, with over 200 reviews across the four platforms. And, wow. The response has been incredible! **

**Ray and I have been amazed by the reviews, the kind words...even when I mess up the formatting or order of chapters.**

**You have all been amazing! In these trying times of COVID, it’s so great to have something to enjoy and look forward to. So, thank you all so much! **

**And don’t worry, this is only the end, for now. There are plenty of prompts and extras coming to keep the story going and… depending on Season 4 (PLEASE LET THERE BE A SEASON 4) we may continue Breath of Hope.**

**RK: Wow, yeah...I can’t believe that lil’ journal I posted on dA actually became this entire fanfic! I’ve actually learned a lot about editing and revising since the beginning, and it’s kind of cool to see my improvements throughout the course of the chapters. :)**

**And yes, there are plenty of extras and prompts that can be found on my Wattpad account, as well as Story’s Ao3 account. Many more are yet to come, and eventually, a lil’ Pyrren story will be added too. Thank you all so much for sticking with us, and I hope you enjoyed. ^-^**

**(Also, BoH art will continue to be added here: ** [ **http://fav.me/ddp0b5y** ](http://fav.me/ddp0b5y) ** )**


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